Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations
by Vulcan Wolf
Summary: A little bit of an AU, making good use of a plot-hole i saw in the opening sequences of the movie. Leiani is my OC, and James T. Kirk's childhood guardian. Featuring Kirk and gang, Amanda Grayson, and George Kirk under the alias David Horn.
1. Chapter 1

1

Leiani had long ago forgotten her exact century of origin, but she never forgot who she was, where she came from, or what her ultimate purpose was. She was, and had been for many years, a Federation Time Agent, patrolling the many entangled threads of the time-space continuum and repairing damage if possible, monitoring whatever changes were made by time-travel. Most incidences of time-travel were unintentional, unintrusive, and some were in the better interest of future events themselves. However, her latest assignment was one that would have devastating consequences no matter how hard she tried to keep the timelines stable. When the Vulcan science ship and the Romulan mining ship both vanished into the black hole, Leiani cursed in all six languages she knew. It was uncharacteristic of a Vulcan to resort to the Human practice of coarse language, but Leiani was only half-Vulcan.

It was the science ship she worried about. She read her scanners, judged the approximate century, and calculated her own time of arrival. Her timeship, the U.S.S. _Prince William_ made it's jump safely and she emerged a little later than she'd wanted but still with time on her hands to act. No one saw her, the _Narada _was too busy hammering the U.S.S. _Kelvin_.

"Computer, what's the stardate?" she asked the usual question and got an unusual response.

"Current stardate is 2233.04, Captain Leiani."

"That puts me somewhere in the 23rd century, then." She eyed the battered, suffering _Kelvin _and noticed a number of smaller vessels moving away. Escape shuttles? Wise captain, evacuating his crew.

"Computer, scan _Kelvin _for life-signs and plot it's trajectory onscreen."

"One life-sign aboard U.S.S. _Kelvin_. Current trajectory on collision course with Romulan _Narada_." That wasn't good news. She looked at her scanners again and saw that the damage to the _Kelvin _was so severe a stiff wind could have blown it apart. She watched, forgetting how to breathe, as the _Kelvin _turned towards and accelerated into the _Narada_. Its current course wouldn't destroy the _Narada_, but it would certain do the mining ship severe damage. Leiani's fingers flew across the controls of the _Prince William_ and she only let herself relax when the transporters deposited a Human Starfleet officer in the rear compartment of her ship. She pulled away and went to warp before the _Narada _would see them. A groan from the back of the ship brought her attention to the present and she unbuckled her harness, going back to find the officer sprawled on the floor, face-down. Fetching her standard-issue first-aid kit, Leiani looked up.

"Computer, put the _Prince William _on auto-pilot."

"Yes, Captain. Auto-pilot engaged." She heaved a sigh of relief and opened her kit. Pulling out the tri-corder, she scanned the _Kelvin_'s officer. No real serious damage, just a few scrapes, bruises, and minor burns. He had a minor concussion, but that was the worst of the damage. His heart-rate was off the charts, she was not surprised by that. She gave him an injection of a stimulant and waited for his eyes to open. He came around with a violence she had not seen in a long time, and she used her superior strength to hold him still.

"My wife! Where is my wife! Is she safe?"

"Yes." She looked at him, "Who are you?"

"George Kirk, Commander, U.S.S. _Kelvin_."

"Where is your captain?" she asked gently. Commander Kirk grew very quiet. She understood then that the _Kelvin_'s captain was no longer among the living and likely had not been for quite some time now. She slipped one arm under his shoulders, "Can you stand?"

"What is this place?"

"You're aboard the U.S.S. _Prince William_."

"The what?"

"You're aboard a timeship, Commander, one of only three of its kind." She helped him stand and guided him into the cockpit.

"Where did you…come from?"

"That's a good question. I've been so many times and places I can't remember my century of origin." She helped him into the navigator's chair.

"Can you at least tell me your name?"

"My name is Leiani." She slid into the pilot's chair and buckled in.

"You're…V-Vulcan?" he had gotten a good look at her face.

"Half, actually. My father was Human, but I don't remember my parents, or any family I might have had."

"That doesn't seem fair. Where are we going?"

"Back to Earth. We'll get there long before your shuttles make it back, I have a few things need doing to make sure you stay out of trouble."

"Like what?"

"Changing your name." She entered coordinates and went to warp. Very little was said during the journey to Earth, Commander Kirk slept for most of it. Once they reached Earth, she made the necessary changes, sealing George Kirk's Starfleet records and assembling a new civilian entry under the name David Horn. Then she promptly took the newly-renamed Horn to Vulcan, where she knew he would be safe from Starfleet. For all anyone knew, George Kirk was dead, he had died saving the _Kelvin_'s surviving crew. Leiani remained on Earth, watching over Horn's family for him as part of a bargain.

* * *

When Horn's son James was eleven years old, he stole his step-father's antique 20th century car and took it for a joyride. He wrecked the car in an Iowa quarry and was arrested for driving without a license or a permit, theft of private property, and willful destruction of said property. The local authorities took him in and called his family. His stepfather took James home and promptly beat the boy for destroying a priceless antique and prized possession. James, naturally, ran away from home. Over the years, Leiani had become his only friend, his one constant, and her door was always open to him. She lived just a few miles outside of town, three miles from the Kirk place, so James knew where to find her.

* * *

James Kirk ran up the unpaved drive, past the orange trees that lined it, hoping beyond wild hope that Leiani was home today. He needed her to tell him it was okay.

"Leiani!" he cried, "Leiani, come out!" The front door of the old-fashioned house flew open and Leiani ran out onto the drive, clearing her front-steps in a single leap.

"James! What happened?"

"Leiani, you've gotta help me!" he wailed, hiding his face in her tunic, "He's gonna _kill _me!" Leiani held him close, stroking his hair as he panicked.

* * *

As she heard the frightened voice, Leiani knew James Kirk had come running. She went out to him and found him a mess. He was afraid Steven would find him and kill him. Leiani cradled the boy, knowing she had to take him to the hospital. Wrapping him in blankets, she drove to the hospital, and then waited for hours before someone would talk to her. The first person to approach her was a hospital social worker.

"Captain Leiani?"

"Oh, good morning, Chancy." Leiani knew the social worker rather well and got up, "How is he?"

"He's just coming out of surgery. There was some pretty serious internal damage. What happened?"

"Have you read the police reports?"

"Twice."

"Nothing I can tell you was left out of the reports."

"Captain, Human Services needs to place James Kirk in a safe, nurturing home for a few years, perhaps permanently."

"I'll keep him, Chancy. Better than sending him home to...well, I need not express my personal opinions of his step-father." Leiani clasped her hands behind her back and smiled tensely. Chancy just nodded.

"I was kind of hoping you'd say that. He's a good kid, he just needs somebody to take care of him."

"May I see him?"

"Of course." Chancy smiled and led the way. Leiani didn't miss the way James's face lit up when they told him that he would be staying with her from now on. It was the right thing to do, the logical thing to do.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: All Vulcan phrases borrowed from the Vulcan Language Dictionary, which has saved my butt in writing Star Trek fanfic, and written in italics for clarification. James and Spock are introduced for the first time in this chapter. Hope you like it!

* * *

2

Three years after James came to live with her, Leiani received a subspace transmission from Vulcan. It was a priority message from Ambassador Sarek, with a request. He requested her presence on Vulcan, and if she could bring James that would be ideal.

"What do you want James for?"

"David Horn wishes to see his son."

"Of course, Ambassador." Leiani smiled. Early on, she had told James the truth and the boy had long expressed a desire to meet his father. It was a secret long kept from his mother, which was as it would stay. After ending her communication with Sarek, she began packing. James arrived home from school an hour later.

"Leiani, I'm home!"

"I'm upstairs, James!" She studied the clothes laid out on his bed, frowning.

"What's up?"

"We're going to Vulcan." She waved him into the room, "Pack your things, we leave today."

"Vulcan? Cool! What for?"

"Your father wants to see you."

"Really?" he grew shy as he packed. She smiled and left the room.

"Really."

"Hey, Leiani?"

"Yes, James?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." She closed the door and went about closing up the house. James met her in the underground hangar where she kept the _Prince William_. She and James had, as a project, refitted it with an advanced warp-drive separate from the continuum drive array, so that interplanetary travel was possible without time-travel included. They opened the launch doors, took off, and set course for Vulcan. James slept for most of the trip, and Leiani put the _Prince William _autopilot.

* * *

They arrived at Vulcan within two days, and upon landing were greeted by Sarek, his wife Amanda and his son Spock, and by David Horn.

"Leiani, who's that?" James pointed out at Spock, "He's my age almost!"

"That is Ambassador Sarek's son, Spock. He's like me."

"Really? Cool! Do you think he'll like me?"

"If you're nice, maybe. Remember, not all Vulcans are like me."

"Yeah, I know. But there's Dad!" James was somber only for a moment. Leiani smiled and ruffled his hair.

"I can finish shut-down, go greet your father."

"Really?"

"And be polite to Ambassador Sarek, we're his guests on Vulcan."

"Okay. I remember everything you taught me." James said before racing out of the cockpit. It only took a few seconds to finish shut-down, she really stayed behind to let James and his father reunite without her interference. She was also curious to know how Spock and James would get along. It was a mutual curiosity, the two boys circled each other warily, like two puppies of different breeds meeting for the first time. Shaking her head, Leiani left the _Prince William_. Spock was sixteen, a little taller, a little stronger, a little more controlled than James, but she saw a possibility of friendship for them. As she set foot on the dusty ground of Vulcan, Leiani had the distinct sensation of coming home. She was welcomed by Amanda and Sarek, with whom she exchanged the traditional salute.

"Welcome home, _talsu_." Sarek smiled and embraced her, "We've been waiting for you." Behind them, the boys were making friends, James taking the initiative.

_"Mene sakkhet ur-seveh."_

_"Sochya eh dif, ri-fainusu."_ Spock's greeting was that to a stranger, but James just smiled.

"Not for long. I'm James Kirk." He stuck out one hand in the traditional greeting of Earth. This was the moment of truth and Leiani found herself doing something very Human, she crossed her fingers behind her back. Amanda and Sarek were holding their breath, waiting. Vulcans tended to avoid touching hands except in special circumstances, what would Spock do? Spock studied James for just a brief moment and then took his hand.

"I am Spock. You are Leiani's _orensu_."

"Yeah." James nodded, "Yeah, I am." Spock fought with keeping a straight face for a moment before he finally gave in and smiled. The boys shook hands and then wandered off talking about something to do with computers. The exhale of relief was audible.

"Now correct me if I'm wrong, but did my son just make a friend?" David watched the two go off, his expression genuinely curious.

"Yes, I believe they did." Sarek was thoughtful, and Leiani had hope for this visit.

* * *

They were two months on Vulcan, during which time Leiani watched James forge two very important bonds. One was with David Horn, the other with Spock. It was not unusual for the boys to engage in games of physical strength, usually wrestling, which James absolutely _loved_. Spock was gentle with him, aware of his own superior strength, but thorough in teaching James how to fight back if fight he must. It was almost fun to watch the boys wrestle because they enjoyed themselves, and Leiani watched her ward become stronger. When they finally left, it was a sad goodbye for James and Spock. David decided it was time he be more proactive in his son's life and was coming back with them, much to James's delight. But James was still loosing the first real friend his age he'd ever had. It would be hard leaving Spock behind.

* * *

The day of their departure, the boys vanished after breakfast and were not seen again until nearly sundown. Leiani and David packed the _Prince William_ but refrained from searching for the boys, knowing this could very well be the last time they saw each other for a very long time.

Meanwhile, James and Spock sat on a high outcrop that gave them a panoramic view of everything for miles around. Part of James wanted to stay behind on Vulcan, he liked it here. He liked Spock, too. The half-Vulcan boy was only two years older than he was but by far the best friend James had. Leiani was too old, she was more of a guardian figure. He fell backwards in the dust and sighed.

"You're sad, James?" Spock looked at him, always confused by his Human emotions, he didn't really understand them very well. James turned his head.

"Yeah, I'm sad."

"But why?"

"Because I'm leaving Vulcan and you're the best friend I've got. Heck, I think you're my _only _friend. You're the first person I've met who didn't hate me right away, who didn't judge. Or if you did, that's all changed." He shrugged, "I don't _have _friends, Spock, so you're really one of a kind."

"Am I your…_best _friend?"

"Yes, I think you're my best friend. You _are _my best friend." He knew it was a big admission to make, but it only made sense. Spock really _was _his best friend.

_"T'hy'la."_ Spock pronounced the word carefully, deliberately. James had learned several words of Vulcan, spoke it almost fluently thanks to Leiani, and knew the difference between _that _word for friend and a similar but very different word.

_"T'hy'la." _He sat up, repeating it for himself. Spock turned so they faced each other on the bluff, and held up one hand. Two months of carefully cultivated friendship had just reached a turning point. James almost forgot how to breathe as he and Spock exchanged the ozh'esta, the Vulcan "finger embrace" exchanged only between bondmates or t'hy'la. He leaned forward until his forehead rested against Spock's and they sat there like that for a good fifteen minutes, said nothing. He closed his eyes and focused until he could _hear _Spock's quick, cat-like heartbeat and his own heartbeat had picked up until it was nearly the same. He tried to remember exactly what that meant, he knew it was important, but couldn't recall. Finally, it began to grow late and he knew Leiani wouldn't wait forever. They watched the sun set behind Mount Seleya, and then Spock led the way back to Sarek's house, leading him by the hand.

* * *

Leiani looked up from the book she had borrowed out of Sarek's expansive library as the front door opened and closed again.

"That took long enough." David mused from the couch where he had dozed off, "What's the time?"

"Just a little after 19:30." Leiani smiled as the boys came into the living room together. She noticed that they had joined hands, and didn't seem too inclined to let go. Hmm. What exactly had they been up to all day? Well, none of her business. They seemed awfully subdued, she thought. With James safely back, it was time to leave. They said goodbye to Sarek and Amanda and took their leave of Vulcan. The boys said their goodbyes, and Leiani swore she heard them use the term _t'hy'la._

_"Rom-halan, t'hy'la. Mene sakkhet ur-seveh." _Spock said quietly as he saluted James, who returned the gesture.

_"Sochya eh dif. Nemaiyo."_ James said before turning away and boarding the _Prince William_. He said nothing to them as he buckled into the navigator's seat. Once they were away, she set course for Earth and engaged auto-pilot. James was out of his seat as soon as they entered warp.

"I'm a little tired."

"Go and sleep, James. You were gone for most of the day." Leiani excused him and watched him leave the cockpit.

"What was that all about?"

"He just needs to be alone. Did anything you heard on Vulcan make sense?" she looked at David, hoping she wouldn't have to explain the intricacies and importance of what James and Spock had said to each other.

"Enough to worry."

"Don't worry, I think this means the time-lines are setting themselves to rights." She smiled at David, "_T'hy'la_ is a very sacred word reserved only for a certain kind of friend."

"_T'hy'la_ means life friend, blood brother, soulmate."

"Yes."

"James and _Spock_?"

"You seem displeased."

"Shocked."

"Don't be. A friendship like theirs is truly one of a kind and even though it may hit a few rocky patches, it will be solid and long-lasting." She knew he still didn't understand, and didn't expect him to appreciate the friendship the way she did.

* * *

Shortly after arriving home from Vulcan, David Horn proposed to Leiani and married her two months later. It was a very small ceremony attended only by James Kirk and Ambassador Sarek, who was on Earth for a diplomatic mission. James had long looked up to Leiani as a mother-figure, his own being absent much of the time, and it made him very happy to finally have some closer claim to her. For the first time in his life, he had a real family. Leiani was his legal, court-appointed guardian after he had been removed from his mother's home at the age of eleven, the only family he'd ever really considered _his_. Now he had his father and Leiani. He was content, and _they _were happy together.

This restructuring of his family dynamic had a profound impact on James's future, and although he knew Leiani and David were both hoping he would go into Starfleet as they had, they allowed him the freedom of making his own choices. He found a love of computers and spent spare hours reprogramming old computers, taking them apart and then putting them back together just to do something with his hands. When he wasn't playing around with old computers, he liked to race cars on a semi-professional circuit. But that wasn't enough, it was never enough. Something was missing, there was something he hadn't done, something he _wanted _to do.

* * *

Translations of Vulcan phrases used in this chapter

talsu = finder; in this instance, a nod to Leiani's former occupation as a Federation Time Agent.

_Mene sakkhet ur-seveh = Live long and prosper; traditional Vulcan greeting_

_Sochya eh dif = Peace and long life; response to "Live long and prosper"_

_ri-fainusu = stranger_

orensu = student

Rom-halan = farewell/good bye; a parting salutation

t'hy'la = friend-lover-lifelong companion, blood brother/sister; soulmate; soul-brother/sister

Nemaiyo = thank you; a term of appreciation


	3. Chapter 3

3

As James walked into the Riverside bar, a favorite hangout of his, he looked around. There were more red uniforms tonight than usual. His first thought was they were in the middle of a sweep and these were recruits. Some of them were probably cadets home on leave before heading back to San Francisco for classes. He did a quick, thorough scan of all the faces he could see but didn't recognize anyone from a past bar-fight, so it was safe. Most of the fights he got into weren't his fault, and usually ended pretty quickly. He knew how to fight when that was his only option, though he really preferred to talk it over, but his aggressors usually weren't in the mood. He couldn't remember how many half-drunk redcoats he'd dropped with a nifty trick Spock had taught him once. It was hard to do if you weren't Vulcan, but he'd mastered the to'tsu'k'hy and wasn't afraid to use it in a stiff situation. As he found a seat at the bar, he looked around again. Ordering what looked like the safest drink on the menu, something he didn't do all that often, he listened and watched.

About an hour after he showed up, a pretty dark-skinned female Cadet walked in and approached the bar after greeting some friends of hers already in the thrall of revelries. James perked up and watched her. She was taller than most girls who came around, and she looked real smart, she had a good head on her shoulders. No fooling around with this one. Not that he was in the mood tonight, he wasn't really sure why he'd come down. She sat down two seats down from him and placed an order for more drinks than he was sure she would be able to finish herself. He didn't say anything, though.

_Jesus Christ, Kirk. _He thought acidly, _What're you _doing _down here? There's nothing for you in here, you know that! _He finished his beer, set the empty bottle down, and motioned for another one. The bartender set it down, his expression curious.

"Haven't seen _you _in a few months, Kirk."

"Trying to stay out of trouble, Lew." He twisted the bottle between his fingers, "Just keepin' a low profile, my friend."

"Heard you won that race out in Saratoga last week. Congrats."

"Thanks. I gave the money to Leiani and David."

"Always do, kid." Lew wiped down the bar and leaned against it, "What's your problem, Kirk?"

"Hmm?"

"You could be in the fleet by now, maybe even captain with your brains. What's holding you back?"

"I don't know, Lew. I think if I knew that, I wouldn't be in here looking for it." He sighed, "The Academy never really held any special appeal."

"Eh, just thought I'd give it a shot."

"Thanks, Lew." He smiled and toasted the bartender, who knew him by first name from all the time he spent in this place. Then he moved to a corner and just watched, nursing his beer. His peace didn't last long, not that he'd expected it to.

"Hey, farmboy, _move_!" a voice snarled above him. James looked up and eyed the quartet of cadets before him, "That's _my _seat!"

"Last I checked, it didn't have your name on it." He didn't move, "This is public property, I can sit wherever I damn well want to."

"You're not _welcome _here, punk." the ringleader hissed, grabbing him by the collar.

"Oh come on. You don't want to fight _me_."

"Yeah, I _do_."

"First of all, you're drunk. And second of all, get your hands off me." He pulled away, "I can come in here if I want to, I don't need your special permissions." He hadn't come for a fight, and he did the smart thing, he walked away. A hand landed on his shoulder and the burly cadet, who had a half a foot on him in height and at least fifty pounds in weight or more, spun him around. He couldn't duck the first swing, but he ducked the second. It was an all-out brawl within seconds, James resorted to his old Vulcan fall-backs. He had all but his chief aggressor floored in a minute, and he turned on the ringleader, nailed him with a swift uppercut and took him down with a _to'tsu'k'hy_ maneuver that knocked him out. A sharp, shrill whistle pierced the brawling and everything stopped. James looked up and stiffened.

"Captain Pike!"

"Outside!" the tall, blonde officer snapped, "All of you! Now!" the bar emptied real quick. James stayed still as Pike stepped over one of the brawlers, brought down with one of the moves Spock had taught him on his last visit to Vulcan a few years back.

"Well, damn. James Kirk. I assume you didn't start this?"

"No, sir, I did not."

"Never do." Pike shook his head, "But you sure know how to end 'em. Are you alright, son?"

"Better than they will be." He knew he'd probably broken his nose, _again_, and he'd have a black eye for sure. Maybe a broken hand.

"Here, clean yourself up." Pike handed him a handkerchief, which he promptly put to good use. They found a corner table and Pike had him sit down, "How's your mother?"

"She's good." He knew Pike wasn't asking about his biological mother, he hadn't had contact with her in...a little too long.

"How's your dad?"

"Same." He smiled at that one. Of all the people in the Federation, all the officers in Starfleet, Christopher Pike was the only one who'd ever learned the truth about George Kirk and David Horn.

"I've gotta hand it to you, kid, that was a short brawl."

"I learned how to pick my fights, and fight if that was all I could do."

"You don't fight with any style I've seen before. Where'd you learn your moves?"

"I've got a friend on Vulcan who's been a real good teacher. He taught me the handy little trick I used to drop the big one."

"I saw _that _move, how'd you do that? He was twice your size!"

"Size doesn't matter when you get in a _to'tsu'k'hy_."

"Fancy word for something simple, I assume?"

"Ever hear of the Vulcan nerve-pinch, sir?"

"Yeah, but I've never...oh." Pike understood, "That's what you use to end these little encounters?"

"Works every time. No permanent damage done and peace is restored."

"And it's quick."

"That's the beauty of it." He rubbed his shoulder, "I've never personally been on the receiving end of one in a fight situation, but I've been knocked out a few times in practice."

"Ever last long?"

"The pressure applied determines how long they'll be out for." He shrugged, "I've never lost consciousness for more than ten seconds. The longest Spock got me down was thirty. _That _freaked him out, he thought he'd killed me."

"Your Vulcan friend, I assume?"

"Yeah, really good friend." He sipped his beer, a new one on the house. _My _best _friend. _He corrected. Pike smiled and chuckled.

"You know why I came down here, Kirk?"

"Not to referee barfights, I know that much."

"No, I came down here to see if you'd finally buck up."

"And join Starfleet?" He stared at his beer bottle, "Any other night I'd say you were nuts, but tonight...I don't know why I came down here."

"Come on, James, you owe it to your parents. Your father was captain of a starship for twelve minutes, saved eight hundred lives including yours. He's never pushed you, has he?"

"I know they'd _like _me to go into Starfleet, but when I never showed a driving interest they didn't push me. I appreciated that, it gave me time to figure out my life and spend _more _time on Vulcan."

"You speak of that place fondly."

"I kind of have a second family there, sir." He looked up, wondering if it was safe to divulge one tiny personal secret. Pike arched an eyebrow.

"A second...family?"

"Yes, sir. I, uh, kind of have a deeply personal relationship with Ambassador Sarek and his family. I haven't visited in a couple years and I feel really bad about that." He didn't just feel bad, he felt _guilty_, "Especially since his son joined Starfleet, they've got nobody at home anymore. I kept meaning to go out and see them, but I never got around to it."

"Hmm. Well, I've got a proposal for you. Join Starfleet, James, make something of yourself. Four years you'll be a Commander, eight you'll be a Captain. Tops."

"Low on the enlistment quota this month?" he couldn't help being a little smart with the recruiting officer. He knew Captain Pike pretty well, that's the only reason he could talk back like this without getting smacked around.

"Come on, James, I'm serious. If nothing else, you can write to them and tell them you've done something really worth celebrating." Pike studied him, "I can tell you it'd sure make your old man happy." James was about to say no, but for some reason Amanda Grayson's face came into his head. He didn't know why it was her and not Leiani, but he smiled. He'd really like to be able to tell Amanda and Sarek that he'd finally buckled down and enlisted, _that _would make them proud. James set aside his beer and looked at Pike.

"What time's that shuttle leaving in the morning?"

"What?"

"That was a pretty obvious question. Do I have to repeat it?"

"No. I just never thought I'd hear you _ask_!"

"I'm full of surprises." He grinned, "So, what time?"

"Shuttle boards at seven. Be there."

"Riverside Shipyards?"

"You know the place."

"Oh sure, used to sit there and watch them build the Enterprise. She'll be a beauty when _she's_ ready to fly." He got to his feet and stuck out one hand, "Thanks, Captain."

"You're welcome. Though I think I'm the one who should be thanking _you_."

"See you tomorrow." He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door, "Bye, Lew! See ya round!"

"Not anytime soon, kid! Good luck in San Francisco!" Lew called cheerfully. He found his bike and drove home, his mind whirling. Tomorrow was the beginning of a new start, a new start he badly needed. When he got home, he sat outside for a few minutes and tried to figure out how to tell his parents he was finally doing the one thing he'd always wanted to do but hadn't been brave enough to admit it. Finally, he figured it out and went inside.

* * *

Leiani Horn looked up as the front door opened and knew James was finally home.

"Mom? Dad?" he called out, she heard the clatter of his keys hitting the side-table.

"In the den, James!" she looked at David, who peered over the top of the book he was reading. James came in and she knew he'd been in a bar-fight. She was so used to seeing those cuts and bruises she was no longer surprised.

"Go get the kit and tell us what happened."

"See, _that's _the good news!" he called from the kitchen, where he hunted around for the first-aid kit, "Hey, that reminds me! What's the time on Vulcan right now?"

"On Vulcan? Why?" David frowned. Leiani looked at the chronograph on the wall above the mantle that showed the current time and the time on Vulcan.

"It's two hours after breakfast. Why?"

"That's good. Can you do me a favor and call Sarek and Amanda?"

"Why?" Leiani tried to read her foster-son, "James, what have you _done_?" She followed him into the kitchen.

"I only want to say it once, and I want to tell _them_. Please?" He looked at her with an expression she hadn't seen on his face since childhood.

"I'm sure they'd be thrilled to hear from you, James. It's been so long."

"I know, and I feel _really _bad about that." James carried the kit out to the den where David was already making the call. While it went through, Leiani cleaned up the bruises and dried blood.

"How many was it tonight?"

"Just four."

"Who looked worse?"

"They did. Captain Pike actually laughed."

"Oh, how's Christopher?"

"He's good. We had a chat, it was actually kind of nice to talk to him one on one. I like him, he's a good guy."

"If Starfleet had more officers like him, the Federation would be a more peaceful place." David frowned. She finished cleaning up James just as the transmission went through and was accepted. As expected, Sarek and Amanda were absolutely _thrilled _to hear from James.

"I think James has some news he wants to share with us, with _all _of us." Leiani smiled, "It seemed very important for him to have you made aware at the same time we were."

* * *

Once the transmission to Vulcan had been made and accepted, James felt a flutter of nerves as he tried to anticipate their reactions.

"You look very pleased, James, would you share your happiness?" Sarek prompted gently. James gulped, blushed, and took a deep breath.

"Well, I met Captain Pike down at Lew's tonight, and we talked. We talked about a lot of things, but most importantly we talked about Starfleet." He couldn't stop or he would never get it out right, "Starting tomorrow, I won't be home for a while. I'll be moving to San Francisco."

"Where are you _going_, James?" Amanda asked with all the motherly concern in the world. He looked at his own parents and braced himself.

"I've enlisted in Starfleet, I go to San Francisco to start at the Academy tomorrow morning. The shuttle leaves at seven from Riverside Shipyards."

"Was this a recent decision you've made, James?" Even though he wasn't smiling, Sarek's voice held all of the pride this admission brought to him.

"Yes, Sarek. As recently as an hour ago, and it's not something I see myself regretting anytime in the near future. I figured I owed it to myself and to my parents, to do the one thing I've always wanted." He couldn't help but feel a smidge of pride. His parents were in shock, but that quickly gave way to happiness.

"It seems I may be inclined to pay another visit to Earth sooner than I anticipated. I fully look forward to seeing you at the Academy on my next visit, James."

"And I share your anticipation, Ambassador." _More than you can imagine. _He raised one hand in salute, _"Mene sakkhet ur-seveh."_

"_Sochya eh dif, _Solen." Sarek used the Vulcan name he had adopted on his second visit to the home-world, only used in the most specific of circumstances. Almost no one outside his very exclusive family unit even knew he _had _a second name. It was going to stay that way.

_"Ram-halan, sa-mekh."_ He smiled as the connection was ended from Vulcan, sighed heavily as the screen went blank, and closed his eyes.

"James, you've just made Sarek happier than he's been in years." Leiani hugged him, _"Nemaiyo, sa-fu."_ James felt very _good_ about himself. Everyone important to him was happy, and he wanted them to be happy.

* * *

That night, James could barely sleep, but sleep he did and wake refreshed early the next morning. He said goodbye to his parents, and set off for the Shipyards even before the sun was up. When he arrived, he had a few minutes to spare.

"Good morning, Captain Pike!" he called cheerfully as he trotted up to the shuttle.

"Good morning, James. There's a place nearer the front of the shuttle, I might suggest sitting there."

"Thanks for the warning, sir, mightily appreciate it." He grinned, cut a lopsided salute, and boarded the shuttle. He passed the foursome from last night's brawl, passed them without a word, ignoring their disgusted, hateful looks, and found an empty seat. He was just getting settled when he heard a ruckus.

"I don't need a doctor, damnit, I am a doctor." someone was complaining, and James looked over curiously.

"You need to get back to your seat." the flight officer appeared half-dragging a rather bedraggled-looking gentleman.

"I had one. In the bathroom with no windows." The man, obviously a civilian and maybe a little drunk, was trying to make a point to an unreceptive audience.

"Sit down, sir, or I'll _make _you sit down!" the flight officer snapped.

"Fine." The civilian sat down, right next to James. He looked at James and said the strangest thing, "I may throw up on ya."

"I think these things are pretty safe." He wondered what this guy's problem was.

"Don't pander to me, kid. One tiny crack in the hull and our blood boils in thirteen seconds. Solar flare might crop up, cook us in our seats." This guy was on a _roll_, and all James could do was sit and listen, "And wait till you're sitting pretty with a case of Andorian shingles, see if you're so relaxed when your eyeballs are bleeding. Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence."

"Well, I hate to break this to you, but Starfleet operates in space." He finished buckling the harness. Whoever this guy was, he had some issues that really needed to be worked out.

"Yeah. Well, I got nowhere else to go, the ex-wife took the whole damn planet in the divorce. All I got left is my bones."

"You got a name?"

"McCoy, the name's Leonard McCoy."

"James Kirk." He shook hands with the jittery civilian, "Mind if I call you Bones?"

"Better than most of the stuff I've been called, kid. Help yourself." McCoy handed him a little flask full of Saurian brandy, the good kind by the taste of it. As they got underway, James finally gave voice to his foremost thought.

_"Por shinsarat."_ he muttered under the roar of the thrusters. McCoy didn't hear him, and even if he had James very much doubted the man knew any Vulcan fluently enough to know exactly what he'd just said.

* * *

That morning was just the beginning of James's adventures in Starfleet. The next three years passed by in a dizzying whirl of classes, simulation practices, and trying to figure out a way to beat the Academy's infamous unbeatable _Kobayashi Maru _scenario. He knew there was a way and put all of his computer smarts to work trying to find it. Finally, in third year, he found it and reprogrammed the procedurals of the scenario's central programming.

* * *

Translations of Vulcan phrases used in this chapter

to'tsu'k'hy = Vulcan nerve-pinch

Mene sakkhet ur-seveh = Long live and prosper

Sochya eh dif = Peace and long life (response to "Long live and prosper")

Ram-halan = farewell/good bye; a parting salutation

sa-mekh = father, in this case a term of endearment between James and Sarek

Por shinsarat = you're out of you're mind

Nemaiyo = thank you

sa-fu = son


	4. Chapter 4 Part 1

AN: Admiral Clark is mine. Everybody else belongs to their creators. Kirk/Spock reunion sweetness. Enjoy!!

* * *

Chapter 4: Part 1

As the test administrators scratched their heads over Cadet Kirk's casual attitude over a very serious situation, something happened. There was a distortion of all screens and when it cleared, Kirk challenged one of his "crewmembers" to tell him if the shields of the Romulan ships were still in place. They weren't, and he gave a very relaxed shrug and ordered the ships destroyed, one shot apiece no use wasting ammunitions. Admiral Clark turned from the view-windows and turned to the composed Vulcan behind him.

"How the _hell _did that kid beat _your _program? What happened?!"

"I do not know."

"That's a no-win situation! You programmed it that way! What did he _do_ differently?" He got no answer, Commander Spock was already gone. No one had ever beaten the _Kobayashi Maru_, and yet, just a short distance below him was the only Cadet in recent history who could say he'd actually _done _it. Was it cheating? Or original thinking? Clark decided to leave that in the hands of the program's creator. If Commander Spock pursued charges of cheating, they would take it to the Academy tribunal, otherwise he'd stay out of this.

* * *

As he left the observation deck in the simulator, Spock had to wonder. He never looked at the names of the Cadets being tested in his scenario, but he was quite curious to know who had beaten the _Kobayashi Maru_. The Cadets were leaving, and he knew if he waited, he would see the one who had stood as captain. He only waited a brief moment before a tall, blonde-haired Cadet came out and went straight down the other way without looking. It was something in his stride, the way he walked, his posture, that was familiar to Spock. He followed at a distance, knowing his footfall would be all but inaudible to the human. The closer he got, the stronger that feeling got. Suddenly, the Cadet passed under a vent and the warm air came down his way, bringing with it a very familiar scent. Spock, thoroughly stunned into stillness, froze in his tracks.

_"Qual se tu?"_ he rasped hoarsely, hardly daring to believe it. The Cadet, with remarkably sharper hearing than most Humans, ground to a halt. They really weren't that far away, maybe twelve feet, maybe less.

_Turn around! Turn around! _He begged silently. If he had gone three years without knowing James Kirk was a Cadet, he would never forgive himself for that slight. The Cadet turned and Spock remembered how to breathe. Yes, it was James, older now and perhaps a little wiser. He exhaled slowly.

"Spock?" James ventured closer, "I don't suppose you'd take an apology, would you?"

_"Nam-tor ri thrap wilat nem-tor rim."_ He folded his hands behind his back and smiled. He only ever smiled for James. The last bit of tension seeped out of James's shoulders and the few feet remaining between them disappeared just as quickly.

"Jim! Let's _go_!" He had been missed.

"Go on without me, Bones. I'll catch up later."

"Are you _nuts_?"

"Bones, _go _without me." James turned to his fellow Cadet, who obviously thought James had lost his mind. The Cadet was clearly in objection, but knew better than to try again and simply lumbered off after the others. Once he was gone, James rolled his eyes.

_"Lesek."_

_"Po?"_ it was clear James was confused. He turned.

"Walk with me." he went the other way, knowing instinctively James would follow, catch up, and pace him for his stride. For a long time, there was nothing said because words weren't really all that necessary. It was nice, Spock thought to himself, to just enjoy the company and time spent with his t'hy'la. He hadn't been very good about staying in touch even after he came to Starfleet, and he very much regretted that. In the same vein of regret, he knew James was sorry _he _hadn't visited Vulcan more often. He remembered David and Leiani moving to Vulcan together shortly after James must have enlisted, and wondering what inspired their move.

"Do you ever miss them, Solen?"

"Hmm?"

"David and Leiani. Do you miss them?"

"Oh, yeah." James showed a side of himself Spock _knew _no one else was allowed to see, "But I talk to them _all _the time. I just wish I could go out there and _see _them all, I miss them." He understood that sentiment. For a long time, Leiani had been James's one constant. He still remembered the rough-and-tumble boy with perfect manners. He had been seventeen, James fourteen at the time of their first meeting on Vulcan, and that had been a memorable meeting of friends.

As they prowled the Academy halls together, Spock wondered exactly what his father's reaction to the news that James was going into Starfleet had been. At least it explained his father's more frequent visits to the Academy. Sarek was always good about taking time to see _him_, but he had always wondered what brought the busy Ambassador to Earth. Now he knew, and he was actually quite grateful.

* * *

A few hours later, their world was radically turned upside-down. They were just passing the linguistics lab when the doors opened and one of the Cadets who manned it came flying out in a panic.

"Hold it, I know that girl! That's Uhura, I met her in Riverside!" James was startled by her sudden, frenzied appearance, "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure." Spock frowned.

"Hey, Uhura! Wait up a sec!" James trotted ahead to catch up with the spunky linguist who had turned him down once already, "Wait up! What's wrong, where are you going?"

"We just received another distress call!" She wouldn't slow down, "From Vulcan!" James staggered, fell behind, and looked over his shoulder at Spock.

"Vulcan? What's wrong with Vulcan?"

"Communications disruptions and seismic activities! Something's wrong!"

"Did the message say what was _causing _the disruptions?" Spock asked the question James was thinking.

"A sub-atmospheric lightening storm!" She called back, leaving them behind, "Just like the one that hit before the Klingon ships were destroyed last night!"

"Lightening storms…wait a minute!" James broke into a sprint, "Uhura! Wait up! Were the Klingon ships destroyed by Romulans?"

"Why?"

"Were the Klingon ships destroyed by a Romulan ship?"

"Yes, why is that important?" Uhura didn't understand. James looked at Spock, horrified by the revelation that had just hit him.

"The _Kelvin_." Spock's eyes were the only part of him that showed any emotion, but James was used to that.

"The day the _Kelvin _was destroyed, a subspace anomaly was reported in the form of a lightening-storm. A few minutes later, all contact with the _Kelvin _was lost and she was reported destroyed. It was Romulans that did it, the biggest bloody ship I've ever seen."

"Wait a minute, how do you know it was - ?"

"My mother was there, she saw everything happen. She showed me a drawing of the ship that destroyed the _Kelvin_." James was shaking with nerves. His parents were in danger and he was stuck on Earth.

"We must alert the Starfleet Council and mobilize as soon as possible." Spock was already thinking two steps ahead of the rest of them, and moving just as quickly.

"The Starfleet Council is _not _going to listen to a command officer and two cadets! Why would they believe us?"

"Because we picked up that distress call first. Come on." Spock took off at a sprint, forcing them to catch up.

"Is this normal for him?" Uhura gasped as they fought to keep pace with the swift-footed Vulcan.

"Nope. He's worried." James outpaced Uhura, keeping up with Spock far easier than she would be able to. They found the Starfleet Council in session, apologized for interrupting, and warned them of the distress call. The senior class was called to assembly and orders were given to deploy immediately to Vulcan. With the main fleet deployed in the Laurentian system, the Cadets were assigned to the rescue mission. James, Uhura, and Leonard McCoy were assigned to the U.S.S. _Enterprise_, Uhura reassigned from the U.S.S. _Farragut_, and thusly fell under the command of Captain Pike. James got Engineering, but he really didn't want to be there. He wanted to be on the bridge, where he could watch things happen and make a difference.

* * *

The journey to Vulcan seemed to take forever and yet it was over before any of them could blink. They came under attack almost the instant they emerged from warp, and Christopher Pike realized in hindsight the momentary delay back on Earth had probably saved not only his ship, but his crew. He ordered evasive maneuvers to avoid collision with the remains of the seven ships that had arrived before them. Over half the senior Cadet class had deployed in those ships, and there were no survivors that he could see. They cleared the debris field and got their first look at the Romulan ship that had started all of this. Pike heard a strangled gasp and looked over his shoulder. The doors of the lift were just closing behind James Kirk, who wore an expression of absolute horror. He didn't bother asking what the engineering ensign was doing on the bridge, he already knew. Spock, his First Officer, was right behind Kirk, and the two wore nearly identical expressions.

"That's…the _Narada_!" Kirk choked, "I recognize that ship!"

"You've seen that ship before, Ensign?"

"Yes, sir, I have. My mother showed me a picture once, I'd know that mining ship anywhere." Kirk was absolutely crestfallen, and Pike had to feel sorry not only for him, but also for Spock. They had every reason to look and _feel_ the way they did right now, the boys had family on Vulcan. Two families, really, shared with each other since an early age. He was the only officer in Starfleet, most likely, who knew how close Spock and James Kirk really were. Everything had started making sense back in Riverside when James had mentioned a friend on Vulcan who had taught him everything he knew about picking fights and winning those he couldn't back out of, the son of Ambassador Sarek. Pike was already familiar with Spock before he'd gone looking for David Horn's hard-bitten but loyal son, and when he realized those two were befriended, he felt he could personally breathe a little easier. Any thoughts on his two officers were disrupted as the _Narada_ made contact.

* * *

When James Kirk first saw the Narada's captain, he wasn't quite sure if what he felt inside was fear, fury, or something in between. Not that the man himself frightened James, really _he _didn't, but what he was doing to Vulcan terrified James. His family was down there! James looked at Spock, whom he had long considered a more-than brother, and knew that even though his eyes were the only thing showing emotion, Spock wasn't feeling any better than he did at the moment. Captain Pike's presence was requested on the _Narada_, come alone and unarmed. With seven of eight ships destroyed, all hands down, they weren't really in a position to negotiate aggressively. Pike left Spock in charge as Acting Captain, promoting James to Acting First Officer in his absence. James, unfortunately, was going with him. He was going to drop James, the Enterprise's Japanese helmsman, and the chief engineer above the drill so they could disable the destructive piece of equipment. James and Olsen carried charges, James carried his as a precaution. Something about Olsen was a little high-strung, a little _too _reckless. As they boarded the shuttle, Spock stopped him.

"James."

"Yeah?" he stuck his head out the door. Spock raised one hand in salute, a remarkably sad expression on his face.

_"Dakh pthak. Nam-tor ri ret na'fan-kitok fa tu dakh pthak."_

_"Rom-halan, t'hy'la."_ He raised his hand in a mirror salute, _"Taluk nash-veh kudular."_ Then he stepped back and the shuttle door closed. He had more than one reason to get through this alive. James took his place in the cargo-hold and steadied his breathing and his heart-rate the way Spock had taught him. When Pike dropped them, he focused only on getting to the platform, ignoring everything else. Olson deployed his chute too late and vanished under the drill. James dropped lightly to the platform, retracted his chute, and pulled out the charges. Two Romulans emerged from the inside of the drill, but James made quick work of them, using skills Spock had taught him. Sulu hit the deck behind him, distracting his opponent for a moment. James took that opportunity and knocked the Romulan off the platform. But the Romulan grabbed the back of his suit and dragged him over the edge. He tossed the charges in a panic, "Sulu, _catch_!"

"Ki-rk!" Sulu yelled as he toppled off the platform. They fell fast, fell hard, James slapped the deployment control and his rapid decent was slowed by the chute.

"Kirk, Enterprise! Get Sulu out of there!"

"What happened?"

"I fell off the platform, but I'm okay!" he heard a rumble and looked up. A split second later, he dematerialized out of thin air and rematerialized on the Enterprise's platforms. His chute closed as he landed on the platform.

"Clear the platform!" Spock came running in, "Move!"

"Chekov, get Sulu out of there!" James snapped. A moment later, Sulu appeared, frightened but whole. He'd detonated one charge, but he didn't know how much damage had been done. James joined Spock on the platform, "I'm coming with you. Don't ask me to stay behind."

"Wait a minute, where are _you_ two going?"

"The High Command is in the katric arc, our parents will be with them." Spock looked at James, "Wait for our signal."

"You guys are _nuts_! You can't go down there!" Sulu cried as they dropped into a crouch and were beamed off the Enterprise. As soon as they touched down on the crumbling planet, James followed Spock up to the katric arc. As a non-Vulcan, he probably wasn't allowed inside but he didn't particularly _care_. They reached the impenetrable chamber, effectively startling the High Command.

"Spock! James? What are you-?"

"There's no time for questions or answers, the planet only has minutes till destruction! We have to leave now!" James reached for Amanda Grayson and Leiani, leading them out of the arc while Spock rounded up the rest of the council. Several members were killed in rock-falls and by tumbling statuary, but those who mattered escaped. James pulled Amanda close to him as they reached the outside world, "Stay close! We can't loose anybody!"

"Spock, Enterprise! Mr. Chekov, beam us up!" Spock yelled into his communicator. A heartbeat later, they were picked up. Just as they vanished, James felt the ground beneath his feet give way and tightened his grip on Amanda and Leiani. They rematerialized safely on the Enterprise and only when everyone was accounted for did he allow himself to breathe. James did a headcount and realized his father was missing. He didn't recall seeing him in the katric arc, and turned to Leiani.

"Where's David?"

"He went to the _Prince William_."

"Did it get away safely?"

"Yes."

"You're sure about that?"

"Yes, James." Leiani touched the side of his face where he knew a bruise was forming, "He got away safely."

"Where did he go?"

"Delta Vega. We received a distress call from the Starfleet outpost there."

"Everything okay out there?"

"We're not sure." Leiani frowned, "I sent him to investigate."

"So he wasn't even on Vulcan when the _Narada _arrived, was he?"

"No." That was the best news he'd heard all day.

* * *

After seeing the Vulcan survivors settled in Sickbay, James prowled the Enterprise without aim, staying away from the bridge. He saw the destruction of Vulcan from the observation deck and quietly wept for the death of so many of his people. Strange how, as a Human, he considered the Vulcans his people. But why not? He had lived with them and learned their ways, he had been accepted by them.

"Bridge to Commander Kirk or Captain Spock!" The sound of Uhura's voice over the comm. startled him and he nearly jumped out of his skin. He didn't bother looking for a comm.-station, he raced up to the bridge.

"What's going on?" he gasped, charging onto the bridge a split second behind Spock.

"We're being hailed by an unidentified vessel, sir." Sulu turned from his station, "I've never seen anything like it." James studied the image on the screen and heaved a sigh of relief.

"It's the _Prince William_! Uhura, open a channel with that ship."

"How do we know they're not Romulan, sir?"

"Because, if you _look_, you'll notice it's a Federation vessel, Lieutenant. Granted not one you've ever seen before, but that's one of our ships. Now, get a channel open, please."

"Yes, sir." Uhura didn't like being talked to that way, but that was just too bad, "Channel open, sir."

"Good. Timeship _Prince William_, this is Starship _Enterprise_."

"James?" his father's voice reached him over the audio and he heaved a sigh of relief echoed behind him by Spock.

"What happened on Delta Vega?"

"I picked up a few passengers. You guys need an engineer?"

"Why?"

"I think I've got your replacement."

"Onscreen." He heard Spock give the order and waited as the screen changed to show the cockpit of his mother's timeship.

"Would I be safe to assume the _Narada _didn't see you?"

"No, she never saw us." David smirked, "Where are you folks headed?" James looked over his shoulder at Spock, he wasn't sure _where _they were going.

"The _Narada _is apparently bound for Earth."

"And you're headed…where exactly? Where's Pike?"

"Hostage."

"Oh _please _tell me you're following them!"

"I was considering joining the main fleet in the Laurentian system, falling back to gather reinforcements, but I feel that would be _most _unwise." Spock looked dead serious. James was stunned.

"Illogical and most unwise." He breathed, "Want us to take a load off for you, Ambassador?"

"If you boys don't mind, I've got one impatient engineer back here who wants a shot at the Enterprise."

"Gladly. Since our CE didn't make it back from Vulcan, we'll take whatever we can get." James looked at Spock, who nodded affirmatively, "We can dock you in the forward cargo-bay, there should be room for you there."

"Mr. Sulu, see if you can't get a tractor on the _Prince William _to hold her in position until the cargo bay has been prepared to take her in." Spock said as the screen changed again and showed the _Prince William_.

"Aye, Captain."

"And dispatch a crew to the forward cargo-bay to move whatever must be rearranged to make necessary room for the _Prince William_."

"Mr. Sulu, Mr. Chekov, you had the bridge, gentlemen." James followed Spock off the bridge, wishing Uhura would stop glaring holes through the back of his tunic. As they took the lift down to the proper deck, he picked at the blue material, "Ugh. I'd give anything for a command uniform."

"Then find one. You _are _the First Officer in my place." Spock smiled, "What's stopping you?"

"The simple knowledge that as soon as Pike gets back, granted we get to him in time, you'll get _your _position back and I'll be back where I started." He sighed. Spock suddenly hit the stop, then restarted the lift.

"What are you doing?"

"We're going to see the quartermaster first."

"For any particular reason?"

"Captain Pike _did _leave us in charge of the Enterprise, did he not?"

"Yeah. So?" he didn't like the light in Spock's eyes, he didn't trust it, "What are you thinking?"

"The rights to command uniforms are ours, as command officers in such capacity as we have now."

"You've got to be joking!" He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I do not jest, Solen. Come along." Spock actually smiled at him and stepped out of the lift. He ran to catch up and let Spock do the bargaining. The quartermaster eyed them both suspiciously but surrendered two gold command tunics so they could switch out their blue Science and Medical tunics. They kept the blue tunics, knowing they'd have use for them later, depositing them in Spock's room even as Sulu informed them from the bridge that the foreward cargo-bay had been cleared and the _Prince William _was standing by for boarding. He and Spock stood in the force-field protected antechamber of the bay and watched the floor open.

"_Enterprise_, _Prince William_. All is go for boarding. On your mark."

"Thanks, _Enterprise_." They watched as the _Prince William _rose on thrusters and the floor closed beneath it. The timeship settled on her landing struts and they left the antechamber. David came down first, trailed by his two passengers. The energetic Highland engineer wasn't of interest to them to nearly the degree of David's Vulcan passenger. James took one good long look at the elderly Vulcan, and then turned to his acting captain, brother, and best friend.

"Spock!"

"Yes." Such a simple answer to a _very _complex problem.

"James, Spock, _this _is Ambassador Syrran. I incurred that remaining aboard the _Prince William _might be the wisest course of action, but he insisted that he be allowed to see and speak to you both in person. There was something very important he had to share with you both, something he didn't trust to a secondary."

"We have to keep him away from the High Command, if they figured this out they would _freak_!" James shook his head, completely thrown off by how much like Spock Syrran really did look, just…_older_, "And your parents!"

"_My _parents? Your mother!" Spock whispered, "Where can we-"

"Wait a minute." James knew by the look in Spock's eyes they were thinking exactly the same thing. There _was _one safe place on the _Enterprise_ they could go.

"Captain's Ready Room!" they said it in such perfect unison David and Mr. Scott were utterly astounded, but Syrran chuckled.

"Okay, I'll take Mr. Scott to Engineering and get him acquainted and meet you in the Ready Room?"

"Planned." Spock looked at him and smiled, "This is no crisis of a magnitude we cannot handle, Solen. Panicking won't be of any use."

"I'm not panicking, this is actually kind of cool." He resisted the urge to touch Spock, gesturing instead to Scott. Spock would take David and Syrran to the Ready Room to wait for him there. Getting Scott a uniform and introducing him to the remaining Engineering crew only took about five, maybe ten minutes, and the chatty Engineer talked so much James didn't have to say much of anything at all. Getting out of Engineering, he headed for the Ready Room, stopping by the Sickbay to inform his mother that David had returned safely from Delta Vega.

"James, you've changed your uniform! Why?" she stroked the sleeve of his gold tunic.

"It was Spock's idea. He figured that in our capacity as acting command officers, it was our right to wear command uniforms."

"You seem distracted, Solen." Sarek came to join them, looking puzzled, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's good." He clasped his hands behind his back so Sarek wouldn't see them shaking, "Spock and I figured it couldn't hurt to talk over our options. I _think _we'll be going after the _Narada _instead of joining the main fleet in the Laurentian system, but he hasn't given me a definite yes or no. As soon as I know something, everyone else will know the same." James knew Sarek didn't believe him, and he had to get out of Sickbay without revealing the presence of Syrran. He took a deep breath and hoped he could pass this off without being called out for lying, "Captain Pike is being held hostage by the same Romulans who just destroyed Vulcan. If they can do _that _to a planet, what are they capable of doing to a human body? I respect Captain Pike, I _owe _him my career, so yeah, I'm a little distracted."

"To be concerned for the well-being of one's Captain is perfectly natural. Whatever decision you and Spock ultimately make, I have every faith you will make the wisest decision."

"Thanks." He smiled, politely took his leave, and bolted the minute the doors of Sickbay had closed behind him.

* * *

Sarek watched James Kirk leave Sickbay and wondered. Something obviously bothered the boy, but he didn't think it was the reason James had given them. Well, not the whole cause of his odd behavior.

"I'm trying to remember the last time James _lied _to me." Leiani mused, "And I honestly can't remember."

"I believe it was when he stole that hard-drive memory-chip for one of his projects."

"Sarek, he was twelve! He's twenty-five now! What good reason would he have to lie?"

"I'm not sure it's a lie, he _is _worried about Captain Pike. But there _is _something he hasn't told us."

"Just as tampering with the subroutines of the _Kobayashi Maru _wasn't cheating."

"It _wasn't _cheating." Sarek had to smile. The boys had shared that tale with them, and such an intriguing tale it was. All of those years of taking apart old computers and putting them back together, tampering with programming software and rewriting codes, had finally come to good use. Sarek thought it very ironic that the first and only person to defeat Spock's "no-win" situational training simulator had been his own brother, and yet so fitting. Leiani just sighed and wondered at the way this whole scenario, a real-life crisis situation, had changed her son.

* * *

Translations of Vulcan phrases used in this chapter

Qual se tu? = Is it you?

Nam-tor ri thrap wilat nem-tor rim = There is no offense where none is taken

Lesek = Thank you

Po? = why; for what purpose, reason, or cause?

Dakh pthak. Nam-tor ri ret na'fan-kitok fa tu dakh pthak = Cast out fear. There is no room for anything else until you cast out fear

Rom-halan, t'hy'la = Farewell, soulmate


	5. Chapter 4 Part 2

Here's Part 2 of Chapter 4. It was a little long, so I split it up. Enjoy! Spock and crew are NOT mine, obviously.

* * *

Part 2

After seeing the Vulcan survivors settled in Sickbay, James prowled the Enterprise without aim, staying away from the bridge. He saw the destruction of Vulcan from the observation deck and quietly wept for the death of so many of his people. Strange how, as a Human, he considered the Vulcans his people. But why not? He had lived with them and learned their ways, he had been accepted by them.

"Bridge to Commander Kirk or Captain Spock!" The sound of Uhura's voice over the comm. startled him and he nearly jumped out of his skin. He didn't bother looking for a comm.-station, he raced up to the bridge.

"What's going on?" he gasped, charging onto the bridge a split second behind Spock.

"We're being hailed by an unidentified vessel, sir." Sulu turned from his station, "I've never seen anything like it." James studied the image on the screen and heaved a sigh of relief.

"It's the _Prince William_! Uhura, open a channel with that ship."

"How do we know they're not Romulan, sir?"

"Because, if you _look_, you'll notice it's a Federation vessel, Lieutenant. Granted not one you've ever seen before, but that's one of our ships. Now, get a channel open, please."

"Yes, sir." Uhura didn't like being talked to that way, but that was just too bad, "Channel open, sir."

"Good. Timeship _Prince William_, this is Starship _Enterprise_."

"James?" his father's voice reached him over the audio and he heaved a sigh of relief echoed behind him by Spock.

"What happened on Delta Vega?"

"I picked up a few passengers. You guys need an engineer?"

"Why?"

"I think I've got your replacement."

"Onscreen." He heard Spock give the order and waited as the screen changed to show the cockpit of his mother's timeship.

"Would I be safe to assume the _Narada _didn't see you?"

"No, she never saw us." David smirked, "Where are you folks headed?" James looked over his shoulder at Spock, he wasn't sure _where _they were going.

"The _Narada _is apparently bound for Earth."

"And you're headed…where exactly? Where's Pike?"

"Hostage."

"Oh _please _tell me you're following them!"

"I was considering joining the main fleet in the Laurentian system, falling back to gather reinforcements, but I feel that would be _most _unwise." Spock looked dead serious. James was stunned.

"Illogical and most unwise." He breathed, "Want us to take a load off for you, Ambassador?"

"If you boys don't mind, I've got one impatient engineer back here who wants a shot at the Enterprise."

"Gladly. Since our CE didn't make it back from Vulcan, we'll take whatever we can get." James looked at Spock, who nodded affirmatively, "We can dock you in the forward cargo-bay, there should be room for you there."

"Mr. Sulu, see if you can't get a tractor on the _Prince William _to hold her in position until the cargo bay has been prepared to take her in." Spock said as the screen changed again and showed the _Prince William_.

"Aye, Captain."

"And dispatch a crew to the forward cargo-bay to move whatever must be rearranged to make necessary room for the _Prince William_."

"Mr. Sulu, Mr. Chekov, you had the bridge, gentlemen." James followed Spock off the bridge, wishing Uhura would stop glaring holes through the back of his tunic. As they took the lift down to the proper deck, he picked at the red material, "Ugh. I'd give anything for a command uniform."

"Then find one. You _are _the First Officer in my place." Spock smiled, "What's stopping you?"

"The simple knowledge that as soon as Pike gets back, granted we get to him in time, you'll get _your _position back and I'll be back where I started." He sighed. Spock suddenly hit the stop, then restarted the lift.

"What are you doing?"

"We're going to see the quartermaster first."

"For any particular reason?"

"Captain Pike _did _leave us in charge of the Enterprise, did he not?"

"Yeah. So?" he didn't like the light in Spock's eyes, he didn't trust it, "What are you thinking?"

"The rights to command uniforms are ours, as command officers in such capacity as we have now."

"You've got to be joking!" He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I do not jest, Solen. Come along." Spock actually smiled at him and stepped out of the lift. He ran to catch up and let Spock do the bargaining. The quartermaster eyed them both suspiciously but surrendered two gold command tunics so they could switch out their blue Science and Medical tunics. They kept the blue tunics, knowing they'd have use for them later, depositing them in Spock's room even as Sulu informed them from the bridge that the foreward cargo-bay had been cleared and the _Prince William _was standing by for boarding. He and Spock stood in the force-field protected antechamber of the bay and watched the floor open.

"_Enterprise_, _Prince William_. All is go for boarding. On your mark."

"Thanks, _Enterprise_." They watched as the _Prince William _rose on thrusters and the floor closed beneath it. The timeship settled on her landing struts and they left the antechamber. David came down first, trailed by his two passengers. The energetic Highland engineer wasn't of interest to them to nearly the degree of David's Vulcan passenger. James took one good long look at the elderly Vulcan, and then turned to his acting captain, brother, and best friend.

"Spock!"

"Yes." Such a simple answer to a _very _complex problem.

"James, Spock, _this _is Ambassador Syrran. I incurred that remaining aboard the _Prince William _might be the wisest course of action, but he insisted that he be allowed to see and speak to you both in person. There was something very important he had to share with you both, something he didn't trust to a secondary."

"We have to keep him away from the High Command, if they figured this out they would _freak_!" James shook his head, completely thrown off by how much like Spock Syrran really did look, just…_older_, "And your parents!"

"_My _parents? Your mother!" Spock whispered, "Where can we-"

"Wait a minute." James knew by the look in Spock's eyes they were thinking exactly the same thing. There _was _one safe place on the _Enterprise_ they could go.

"Captain's Ready Room!" they said it in such perfect unison David and Mr. Scott were utterly astounded, but Syrran chuckled.

"Okay, I'll take Mr. Scott to Engineering and get him acquainted and meet you in the Ready Room?"

"Planned." Spock looked at him and smiled, "This is no crisis of a magnitude we cannot handle, Solen. Panicking won't be of any use."

"I'm not panicking, this is actually kind of cool." He resisted the urge to touch Spock, gesturing instead to Scott. Spock would take David and Syrran to the Ready Room to wait for him there. Getting Scott a uniform and introducing him to the remaining Engineering crew only took about five, maybe ten minutes, and the chatty Engineer talked so much James didn't have to say much of anything at all. Getting out of Engineering, he headed for the Ready Room, stopping by the Sickbay to inform his mother that David had returned safely from Delta Vega.

"James, you've changed your uniform! Why?" she stroked the sleeve of his gold tunic.

"It was Spock's idea. He figured that in our capacity as acting command officers, it was our right to wear command uniforms."

"You seem distracted, Solen." Sarek came to join them, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's good." He clasped his hands behind his back, "Spock and I figured it couldn't hurt to talk over our options. I _think _we'll be going after the _Narada _instead of joining the main fleet in the Laurentian system, but he hasn't given me a definite yes or no. As soon as I know something, everyone else will know the same." James knew Sarek didn't believe him, and he had to get out of Sickbay without revealing the presence of Syrran. He took a deep breath and hoped he could pass this off without being called out for lying, "Captain Pike is being held hostage by the same Romulans who just destroyed Vulcan. If they can do _that _to a planet, what are they capable of doing to a human body? I respect Captain Pike, I _owe _him my career, so yeah, I'm a little distracted."

"To be concerned for the well-being of one's Captain is perfectly natural. Whatever decision you and Spock ultimately make, I have every faith you will make the wisest decision."

"Thanks." He smiled, politely took his leave, and bolted the minute the doors of Sickbay had closed behind him.

* * *

Sarek watched James Kirk leave Sickbay and wondered. Something obviously bothered the boy, but he didn't think it was the reason James had given them. Well, not the whole cause of his odd behavior.

"I'm trying to remember the last time James _lied _to me." Leiani mused, "And I honestly can't remember."

"I believe it was when he stole that hard-drive memory-chip for one of his projects."

"Sarek, he was twelve! He's twenty-five now! What good reason would he have to lie?"

"I'm not sure it's a lie, he _is _worried about Captain Pike. But there _is _something he hasn't told us."

"Just as tampering with the subroutines of the _Kobayashi Maru _wasn't cheating."

"It _wasn't _cheating." Sarek had to smile. The boys had shared that tale with them, and such an intriguing tale it was. All of those years of taking apart old computers and putting them back together, tampering with programming software and rewriting codes, had finally come to good use. Sarek thought it very ironic that the first and only person to defeat Spock's "no-win" situational training simulator had been his own brother, and yet so fitting. Leiani just sighed and wondered at the way this whole scenario, a real-life crisis situation, had changed her son.

* * *

There you go, Chapter 4 Part 2. Thanks for putting up my tweaking.


	6. Chapter 5

5

Meanwhile, James finally staggered into the Ready Room. He threw his weight back against the closed doors and groaned.

"God, I _never _thought I'd get out of there! Sarek came _this _close to catching me!"

"You never were very good at lying to my father." Syrran just smiled at him, "You didn't have to try very often."

"I've never _had _a reason to lie to Sarek, and I felt bad for trying just now." He pushed away from the doors and approached the table. Syrran sat, Spock stood, and James looked from one to the other, "So you're really…_him_?"

"Yes. A much older, somewhat wiser version of him from 129 years in the future."

"That's...a few years." He wondered what everything looked like in that future, wondered if it even existed anymore, "So, what was so important and so urgent you had to convince my father to let you off the _Prince William_?"

"It seems that our places have been switched." Spock answered that, not Syrran.

"Huh?"  
"Sit down, James." Syrran waved to the chair before him, and James sat down, "I've heard you addressed as Solen. That's a Vulcan name, and yet _you _are fully human."

"Ye-ah, that's a tricky story." He chewed on his lip and looked at Spock, "I don't know how _you _remember me, but no thanks to our bloody Romulan friends, things turned out a little differently."

"I've noticed. Your father lives, and yet goes under a completely different name."

"Yeah, David Horn. The day I was born, George Kirk died and his records were sealed. David Horn took his place and instead of a Starfleet Captain, he became an Ambassador to Vulcan for the Federation." James folded his hands together in his lap, "I was kicked around until I turned eleven, at which time Social Services put me in the care of a legal guardian."

"Whom you were very fond of, I believe."

"Yeah. Did I _know_ Leiani in your time? Did she even exist?"

"I never met her, but that doesn't mean she didn't exist."

"Huh. Well, the _Prince William_'s a Federation Time Ship, so that might have something to do with it. She told me once it was 29th century construction, but she couldn't remember her own century of origin." He scratched the back of his neck, "Leiani...she was good to me. She taught me stuff, she taught me how to pick my fights wisely."

"A-_hem_." Spock coughed not impolitely. James snickered.

"Sorry, Spock. You taught me how to fight wisely if fight I must."

"I did?"

"Taught me a few handy tricks, really." He grinned, "I guess you didn't get around to that in your time, did you?"

"No, the only time I ever engaged you in combat, I thought I'd killed you." Syrran looked sad for some reason, grim.

"Why would you think that?"

"My...our betrothed mate T'Pring demanded the kal-if-fee trials."

"Wait a minute, _we _did that? I guess I lost, huh?"

"No, but I was made to think you _had_. It worked. I released T'Pring, but I didn't understand why she had chosen _you _as her champion."

"Uh, huh. Spock, did anybody like that survive the genocide?" James turned to Spock, who looked grim, thoughtful.

"I don't have a full listing of all survivors, I may not for some time. But it seems her death may not be a complete loss." Spock looked at him with the kind of expression he rarely if ever saw.

"This _is _different!" Syrran looked from Spock to James and back, "How _long _have you known each other?"

"I was fourteen the first time I met Spock on Vulcan, Leiani took me there to meet my father, and introduced me to Ambassador Sarek and his family. We...became friends of a sort. We lost contact after Spock went to Starfleet, but reconnected just a few days ago. We've been too busy to make up for the deficit."

"How _interesting_! Then half of my work is already done! All that's left is to find a way to give James captaincy of the _Enterprise_, at least until you've retrieved Captain Pike, and my work _is _done."

"I'll just give it to him. I didn't understand why Pike made me acting captain in the first place, it didn't seem logical."

"It made _sense _though." James leaned back in his chair, "You're First Officer when Captain Pike's around, so it's only natural the First Officer be promoted to Captain in the event the Captain himself is incapable of serving that duty."

"Nero's presence in this time, and my own, has changed a great deal for both of you. I want to show you why Ambassador Horn found me on Delta Vega with Mr. Scott." Syrran got to his feet and James realized that the two were nearly the same height, Syrran a little taller than Spock, "Get up, James, and come here." He obeyed and stood beside Spock, waiting.

Then, Syrran did something to him that he had only seen but never experienced. Syrran mind-melded with both of them, which couldn't be easy to accomplish or maintain, and showed them how he and Nero had ended up nearly a hundred and thirty years in the past and so altered the timeline. But even as he watched images from memories that didn't belong to him, seeing faces he knew by now, James saw other things. He _felt _other things. They were far murkier, less clear, but still there. Syrran released them and he sank to his knees, caught mid-fall by Spock, who held him up.

"What was _that_?"

"Emotional bleed-through cannot be helped, I'm sorry."

"Holy God! You...I don't think I could _do _that!" James rubbed his face briskly. It was decided that David would take Syrran back to Earth, or at least to a safe location, while they followed the _Narada_ to stop Nero once and for all before he did to Earth what he'd just done to Vulcan.

* * *

After the departure of the _Prince William_, James and Spock had very little time to themselves. This was one of James's regrets, but he set aside personal desire in the name of duty. It was quickly established that James was replacing Spock as the _Enterprise_'s acting captain. This declaration, made by Spock himself shortly after the _Prince William_'s departure, as met with mixed reception. Half the crew didn't know James well enough to care, just as long as the _Enterprise _had somebody in the command chair, and those who knew both James and Spock well didn't know _how _to react.

Lieutenant Uhura accused him of disregarding Captain Pike's orders and demanding the position for himself.

"You can't handle being second to someone like him, so you _made _him give up his place as acting captain when you had no right to do so!" she snarled, having cornered him on Deck 6.

"You _really _think I asked for the responsibility of four hundred and eighty crew and nine Vulcan refugees?" It couldn't have been further from the truth, but he didn't think she would like to hear that.

"Didn't you? You have this _alpha _personality that can't handle _not _being in control!" she spat, reminding James briefly of a angry cat, "Why wouldn't you?"

"It was the captain's decision, not mine. I never even _thought _of asking for it. You should be careful what kind of accusations you lay out before an acting command officer, lieutenant." He caught sight of Sarek a short distance away and started in that direction, "If you have any issue over my placement as acting captain, you are free to take it up with Commander Spock. This was his decision, not mine. Now if you'll excuse me."

"Where are _you _going?" oh, so now he wasn't allowed to go where he wished without _her _permission? He was really beginning to hate the linguist.

"To see to the needs of the refugees and speak to Ambassador Sarek." He walked away and didn't look back until he'd reached Sarek, who greeted him with a familiar smile.

"You handled that situation very calmly."

"I wanted to be smart, to say something rude, but I couldn't." He sighed, running one hand through his already messy hair, "You taught me how to be polite and diplomatic with a confrontational second party, I just never thought I'd use it with one of my crewmembers." Sarek rested one hand on his shoulder in a familiar, comforting gesture.

"Long have I considered you my human son, James, and I have strived to instill in you the same values as I gave my own son, your brother."

"I know. And I'm really grateful for that." James looked at the man he had long looked upon as a second father, more grateful now for all of those despised lessons on self-control and diplomacy he had hated as a child. Those lessons had made him the man he was today, and he couldn't forget that.


	7. Chapter 6

6

When they reached Earth, things happened very quickly. James and Spock beamed onto the _Narada _and after a brief fire-fight with the Romulan crew went in search of the aptly-named _Jellyfish_. There they parted ways, James to find Captain Pike and Spock to disable the drill. He found Nero and Ayel first, and got tossed around a little.

_"Prince William to Solen." _The voice he heard on his pickup was familiar and oddly soothing. Granted he was face-down on the catwalk, gasping for breath around a cracked rib.

"Solen, _Prince William_." He wheezed, watching Nero.

_"Are you anywhere near Captain Nero?"_

"Bastard nearly killed me. What do you want _him_ for?"

_"We have his wife, Selina. She is alive and well."_

"Oh, you've _got _to be joking." He shoved unsteadily to his feet, wondering if he'd heard that right.

_"We've got a lock on your signature, we'll beam you out once you have Nero."_

"That's one way to save the world. But I have to _get _to him first." James groaned and went after Nero, dispatching Ayel with a stun-shot from his phaser. The sound got Nero's attention and he turned, surprised to see James upright and _moving_.

"You're still _alive_?"

"You cracked a few ribs, you asshole, you didn't _kill_ me." He pulled himself upright, advanced on the despotic Romulan, "I'm not _done _with you."

"Stubborn _Human_!"

"If I'm a stubborn Human, _you're _a stupid Romulan." Faster than Nero could move, James risked further injury to himself and tackled the Romulan captain, took him down with a quick, effective _to'tsu'k'hy_. He held his breath for a moment, then exhaled, "Solen, Prince William. Engage." A moment later, they rematerialized on the timeship. James disarmed Nero while he was still unconscious.

"Well done, Solen." Syrren came in, leading a beautiful Romulan woman heavy with child.

"Don't thank me _yet_. I still have to rescue Captain Pike." He staggered to his feet, nearly went to his knees, and was kept from falling not by Syrren, but by Nero's beautiful wife Selina. James groaned, "God, I weigh more than you do! Just let me fall!"

"No, Captain." There was a firmness in her voice he wasn't used to hearing in anyone except Uhura, and that didn't give him a great deal of comfort. Intelligent blue eyes met his and Selina pressed one hand to a bruise on his cheek, "You risked your life to stop him."

"And my job's only _half _done. I've still got to find Captain Pike."

"That won't be necessary." Syrren shook his head, "Your father has beamed over to the _Narada _to find him. We got a lock on his signal and went directly. You are needed here."

"Yeah, but I kinda like my head where it is." He rubbed his throat, fingering the bruises left by Nero's hand.

"You have no faith?"

"He hasn't given me any reason to believe otherwise." He sagged against the bulkhead, still supported more by Selina's slight, child-heavy frame than his own strength. Syrren injected Nero with a sedative that would keep him unconscious for some time yet. Suddenly, his earpiece crackled.

"Enterprise, Kirk. Do you copy?"

"Kirk, Enterprise. I'm on the _Prince William_, everything's under control here." He looked over as the transporters activated, depositing his father and a very battered Captain Pike, "We have Captain Pike. I'll have him beamed over right away. Kirk out." He got to his feet, "Jesus Christ, is he even _alive_?"

"Barely. They've messed him up really good. I've gotta get him to Doctor McCoy."

"They already know you're coming." He winced, pressed one hand against his ribs, "Tell Bones I'll be over once I've finished up here."

"He's not going to like it."

"He doesn't have to like it, I'm the captain."

"Fair enough." His father smiled tightly and disappeared into another transporter as he was beamed across to the _Enterprise _with Pike, leaving James with Syrren, Selina, and Nero. Selina took him in hand and ushered him into a little cabin, where she ordered him to strip from the waist up. Anything smart he might have said to her never got past his thought processes and he obediently pulled off the gold tunic. Some of his old wounds were still bothering him, to no great surprise of his, but Selina was very gentle as she taped his ribs and tended to his various cuts and bruises. She wrapped his hand, but did not cast it, and he was grateful to her for that one kindness.

* * *

During the time she spent patching James back together with far more kindness than he thought he deserved, Selina told him everything. When Syrren and his father had left the _Enterprise_, they'd done a brief time-jump, if going back some hundred and thirty years could be considered brief, to some time just shortly before the destruction of Romulus, and found her there, convinced her to come with them. The two of them planned thusly to reunite Nero and Selina, and thereby spare not only Earth but the Federation from any future genocides carried out _by _Nero.

_"Solen, Nero is stirring."_ Syrren interrupted over the earpiece, and James sighed, wincing a little as it still hurt to breathe. He looked at Selina, understanding why Nero had been so distraught over her death and driven to the brink of destroying everything else just to make it safe for her, or at least the idea of her.

"You should be there when he regains consciousness. If we're lucky, he won't try to hurt anyone." He held out one hand to Selina after pulling his tunic over his head with great care. As they moved through the _Prince William_ to the cabin where Nero was being held, he couldn't help his thoughts drifting to Spock in the _Jellyfish_. He and Syrren stood aside near the doors while Selina approached the bed and waited for her husband to regain consciousness. It was very bizarre and yet touching to watch as Nero realized that Selina was truly with him, alive and well and unharmed by the future destruction of their homeworld. And even stranger still when Nero sat up, got his bearings, looked at the two of them, and proceeded to do something decidedly un-Romulan.

"Captain Kirk, I owe you everything. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Your ship is still out there, I haven't seen it yet." He folded his hands behind his back, keeping a neutral expression on his face, "Do you want to go back to the _Narada_?"

"No!" it was such a violent reaction to a simple suggestion, "No, that ship stands for everything that is _wrong _with Romulus and her people! We are too violent sometimes, too close-minded." Nero turned to Syrren, "My apology should go to you first, I held you in blame for something you could not have predicted. You knew it would happen, but you never anticipated the super nova moving so quickly." James looked at Syrren, wondering if that admission stunned his old friend the same way it stunned _him_. Had a Romulan, the same Romulan who less than an hour ago had wanted them both _dead_, just in the same thought practically thanked them and apologized? Part of James wondered if the end-times had come, he'd never thought he'd live long enough to hear that. His earpiece crackled.

_"Solen, Enterprise."_ The voice he heard nearly brought him to his knees in relief.

"Spock!" he choked, "You're alive!"

_"Yes, no need to sound so surprised."_ He swore he heard the Vulcan chuckle, a sound that turned into a cough. That wasn't good. He looked at his companions, especially the Romulans.

"Spock, what _happened_?"

_"You may want to see this for yourself, Captain. I owe Mr. Scott a great deal."_

"Spock, you suicidal _idiot_." He muttered, "I'm coming back. I may be bringing some company, just to warn you."

_"Dare I ask?"_

"Um…not really." He was pretty sure Nero was safe, but he _wasn't _sure how his crew would react.

_"I wonder what you've done, t'hy'la, that you sound so guilty."_

"Guilty?"

_"Yes, very guilty."_

"How about I _show _you, Spock."

_"Fair enough."_ He let the connection die and sighed heavily, regretting it.

"Dammit. I have the feeling there may not be a great deal _left _of the _Narada _by now, Nero. Now it's _my _turn to be sorry, because if that ship is destroyed, every Romulan in this century is going to want my head on a plate and the rest of me quartered."

"I won't miss it, Captain. By now, I would _welcome _it's destruction."

"Then let's go." He looked at Syrren, who just nodded. Maybe now things would right themselves at long last. They returned to the transporter platforms, and he made contact with the Enterprise, "Kirk, Enterprise, three to beam back. The bridge if you can manage, Scotty, you'll have my thanks."

"I'll do my best, Captain." His Chief Engineer promised. Spock must have gotten to Scotty, they touched down in the Ready Room. Thirty seconds later, the doors opened and Spock entered alone.

"Captain Nero, your First Officer is currently onscreen."

"Thank you, Commander." Nero looked the rather battered Vulcan over and frowned, "And I'm sorry."

"An apology is not necessary, Captain."

"Yes, Commander, it _is_."

"Trust me, Spock, saying yes isn't going to hurt anyone." James patted his First Officer on the shoulder gently and went out onto the bridge, "Mr. Sulu, status report on the _Enterprise _and our Romulan friends."

"Power at eighty percent, shields at seventy-five. The _Narada _is disintegrating, sir, they're trapped in the singularity caused by the impact of Commander Spock's science-ship."

"Impressive." He turned his attention to the screen and grinned at a very frustrated Ayel, who looked ready to reach through the screen and throttle him, "Ah, Commander, it seems you are in a bit of a hard situation. We are willing to offer you assistance."

"Return my captain and we will talk!"

"I wasn't under the impression Captain Nero was in any _hurry _to return to the _Narada_." James looked sidelong to Nero, who stood out of range, "I could be wrong, you may want to ask him that question yourself." At his signal, a simple nod, Nero stepped into view and a very brief, _rude_, rapid-fire conversation took place entirely in Romulan understood only by a few on the bridge.

"Captain Nero?"

"Fire everything you have. I'll answer personally for this if I must. The _Narada _must be destroyed." He looked furious, but not with any of them on the _Enterprise_.

"There you have it. Mr. Sulu, you heard the man, fire everything we have, fire now, fire often."

"Yes, sir."

"And while you're at it, see how far you can get us before that singularity tries to take us with it."

"Aye, Captain." Sulu was furiously working his controls and even as the _Enterprise _fired everything she had at the crippled, disintegrating _Narada_, the starship began to turn away. There was a massive explosion behind them and on the rear scanners, they saw the black hole yawn open and swallow the _Narada_.

"Scotty, get us out of here!"

_"Aye, sir! I'm not promising any miracles!"_

"I don't _need _miracles, I just want to get this ship back home in one relatively whole piece." He watched the screen as three cores sailed into the black hole, detonated, and pushed them clear even as the singularity collapsed in upon itself.

"Orders, Captain?"

"Full impulse power for home, Mr. Sulu. At that rate, it should take us four weeks at the most."

"Aye, Captain."

"Did the _Prince William _make it clear in time, Mr. Chekov?" he sank into the command chair, weak with relief and a fresh onslaught of pain.

"Yes, Captain. Zey jumped to warp before we began to turn away, sir." His seventeen-year-old tactical officer said with confidence. That gave him hope. He had a different problem on his hands, however. He had nine Vulcan refugees and two Romulan refugees on the ship, and no where to put the latter two. He rubbed his face with one hand and tried to think. They deserved privacy and dignity, that much he could afford them as a Starfleet Captain and the captain of the vessel on which they were now refugees and, unfortunately, hostages. Where would they be left alone? Hmm. Spock wisely moved Nero and Selina off the bridge. He returned a short time later to inform James that the _Prince William _had broken warp and come back for them, and Scotty had beamed Nero and Selina back to the timeship when they expressed a desire to be there instead.

"_Prince William_, _Enterprise_."

"Reading you loud and clear. We have the refugees. They will remain here until we've returned to Earth." His father answered the hail and James exhaled in relief, wincing.

"Thank you, Ambassador Horn. Can you handle them?"

"Yes, Captain Nero has promised his best behavior on behalf of his wife."

"Good. Because it's only going to get harder for him when we reach Earth." James rubbed his face briskly, "He has the destruction of seven Starfleet vessels and seven crews to answer for, as well as the _Kelvin _twenty-five years ago." He looked up at a touch on his shoulder. It was Spock. James smiled and covered Spock's hand with his. His First Officer tugged on his sleeve and got him out of the chair.

"Mr. Sulu, you have the bridge."

"Aye, Captain." His helmsman saluted as they stepped into the lift together. Once the doors had closed, he eyed his First Officer. The Romulans had obviously taken out some of their frustration on Spock, the array of green bruises showed enough proof of that.

"Mind telling me what happened?"

"They captured the _Jellyfish _coming out of warp."

"Like last time."

"But I had planted timed charges to detonate the red-matter, a luxury Syrren did not have. Mr. Scott beamed me off the _Narada _as the first charges detonated."

"No wonder you look like hell. What will Doctor McCoy think of us?" he smiled crookedly. When they arrived in Sickbay, McCoy was on them like a ravenous wolf, pushing them towards diagnostic beds and running scans, shouting orders, and telling the two of them to stop squirming.

"You're in better shape than _he _is!" McCoy looked at the bandages, "When did _this _get done?"

"While I was on the _Prince William_." He hissed as McCoy prodded the tender ribs none too gently, "You're…not the only one handy with a roll of bandages. Ouch!"

"You big baby."

"I'd rather not _break _any of my ribs, thank you!" he glared at his CMO, "You've got a weird sense of suitable bedside manner, Bones, you know that? Ow!"

"Stop whining. That'll help the pain." McCoy waved the hypo at him and he rubbed his much-abused neck. Spock was grinning on the next bed, and James glared at him.

"One _snicker _out of you and I'll gladly add to that collection of bruises."

"Why don't you like doctors?"

"Because they're snobby, stuck-up, know-it-alls." He glared at McCoy, "And nosy bastards."

"Hey!"

"_You _are not an exception." He muttered.

"How many times have I saved _your _sorry ass?"

"How many times have I saved _yours_?"

"Oh, _that's _mature."

"You started it." He turned his head to test mobility and caught sight of a cluster of nurses and aides on the far side of Sickbay, and forgot about McCoy. Remembering his last glimpse of Captain Pike, he slipped from the table and padded across Sickbay, pulling his tunic over his head. He got one look at the man on the diagnostic bed and had the strangest urge to cry. He also wanted to find the nearest bathroom. McCoy and Spock joined him shortly and he barely turned his head, "What's the prognosis?"

"Not good. He's got some parasite wrapped around the base of his spine and almost no sensation below the waist. Mobility, reflexes, and vitals are on the low end of the scales."

"Do you think he'll make it?"

"I don't know. I've never seen anything like this before."

"Something tells me it wouldn't look good to come home with Captain Pike in a metal box." He turned to his CMO, "Bones, you keep that man _alive_ long enough to get him into Starfleet Medical, that's all I ask. Remove the parasite if you can, but just keep him alive."

"I'll do what I can, I'm not promising any miracles."

"I'm not _asking _for any." He turned away from the bed, exhausted, sore, and crestfallen. James didn't even ask Spock to come with him as he left Sickbay and made his way slowly to an empty lounge, he didn't have quarters aboard the _Enterprise _yet and he wasn't going to take Captain Pike's. He didn't stay there long, however. Getting up, James found his way to Spock's quarters and entered the access code. Once the doors had opened to him, he went straight into the bedroom and fell facedown on the bed. Dragging a pillow to his chest, he passed out dead cold.

* * *

Well, there you have it, Chapter 6. It's gonna get a little depressive here in 7 and 8, character death ahead. Don't say I didn't warn you. And if Nero seems way OC, that's on purpose. I took the whole time-ship concept and ran wild with it. Go back just before the destruction of Romulus and save Nero's wife, problem solved. Vulcan translations below, as usual.

Vulcan terms

_to'tsu'k'hy_ = nerve pinch

_t'hy'la_ = soulmate, blood-brother, beloved


	8. Chapter 7: Death Comes Quietly

**_AN: Character-Death Warning!!! If this isn't your thing, or you just don't like angst, wait for the next installment or find another story that's less depressing. Here be the last hours of Captain Christopher Pike. I won't spoil anything for you, just know it's sad. A little brother-bonding, LOTS of angst, and trying to deal with a very bitter grief. You have been warned, proceed with caution._**

* * *

7

When Spock entered his quarters aboard the _Enterprise_, he knew they weren't empty, he also knew the occupant.

"Solen." He called in a whisper, received no reply. Going into the bedroom, he found James Kirk facedown on his bed, fully unconscious in his sleep. It was rare to see his brother falter like this, and it always hurt to watch. James respected Captain Pike more than anyone else in Starfleet, except Spock, and he couldn't imagine what the knowledge of Captain Pike's condition was doing to James. Discarding his tunic, Spock tossed aside his boots and went to bed. The day's trials would no doubt cause some discomfort, but pain was something he could deal with.

* * *

James awoke to a dark, warm room, and wondered exactly what time it was. Trying to roll over to look at the glowing numbers projected on the ceiling from a digital clock, he bumped into a long, warm body behind him and went still. Just Spock, sound asleep. He smiled and turned his head to look up where he could see the time. Just a few hours. Satisfied, and comfortable, he drifted off to sleep again.

When the clock's muted alarm function went off an hour later, James rolled out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom for a shower. When he came out, Spock was still asleep. He didn't bother waking his bed-fellow up just yet, knowing Vulcans tended to heal more quickly the better they slept. Resetting the alarm to go off in another fifteen minutes, he snuck out of Spock's quarters after making absolutely certain the corridor outside was empty, and headed down to Sickbay to check on Captain Pike. He was a little surprised McCoy wasn't on his rounds yet, then remembered what time it was. James groaned and sank onto the chair set beside the diagnostic bed, watching the comatose man for any sign of consciousness or life beyond the steady but shallow rise and fall of his chest.

* * *

He stayed fifteen minutes then wandered up to the bridge, where the night-crew was still on duty. He waved them all to their places and circled once before sitting down. He had done this a lot more recently, having learned that this was the quietest time of day on the bridge, when the night-crew was about to go off duty. He would sit for hours and watch absolutely nothing as the starfield drifted past the _Enterprise_, which is exactly what he did now. He signed off on the reports and a few other things before dismissing the night-crew when the shift ended. One by one and in pairs, his bridge-crew came up and took their places, some with a quiet good morning and others with no word at all. It was an unusually quiet morning, he spent much if it pacing the bridge or sitting and thinking.

* * *

James tried to stay out of Sickbay, but around noon, he went down to see if there was any change at all. Nothing. He didn't stay this time, shrugging off McCoy's concern, a mix of professional and personal concern for him.

"No, Bones, not this time. I'd like to have a clear mind for now." He said firmly as he left the Sickbay, "I'll find some other way to deal with the pain, but in my own fashion this time." Not at all pleased with that, McCoy let him go. He trekked back to the bridge, tried to function normally, and did so with marginal success.

* * *

This went on for two weeks, James took up a routine that confused his bridge-crew but made sense to Spock, the only one who understood his new, seemingly bizarre habits. On one such prowl, James sidetracked himself and ended up sprawled on a couch in one of the empty lounges where he knew the crew didn't come very often. While he slept, James had a very bizarre and troubling dream.

* * *

*Begin Dream Sequence*

At first it was dark, but as it grew lighter, James realized he wasn't alone.

"James?" someone called his name, and he moved instinctively towards the voice, following the growing light.

"Captain Pike?" he answered hesitantly. He finally found Pike, kneeling in the semidarkness with his head bowed. It troubled James to find him that way and he hurried to the older man's side, "Captain! Are you alright, sir?" That was a stupid question to ask, he knew without asking any specifics that Pike was in a great deal of pain. He looked sadly at the man who had left him in charge as First Officer when Spock had been made Captain.

"Commander, I can't _walk_." Pike looked up at him, looking very old, "I can barely move."

"No, you've gotta make a comeback, sir, you've _got _to kick this one!"

"Kid, I didn't pick you up in that dingy bar because I knew your dad or I thought you needed a second chance." Pike shook his head and coughed, "I picked you up because the number of people in Starfleet like you is so infinitesimally small it barely registers on Command's radars anymore. It's almost ironic that the first and only person to beat Commander Spock's no-win simulator was his own blood-brother." Pike smiled weakly, "How did you do that anyway?"

"I spent a lot of time messing around with computers and input codes, that kind of stuff. I never got into hacking for a hobby, I knew it was wrong and I didn't like the idea that I might get into something bigger than I could handle."

"Life _is _taking risks, James, and dusting yourself off if one doesn't go just right but you've got the luxury of coming back alive." Pike reached for him and James dropped to his knees, "I always figured if I had no choice, I could leave the Enterprise to you and Spock and between you two, you'd figure out who would get her as Captain. I have to admit, you've got more of a can-do personality, but Spock's the brains of the operation."

"That's why he's First Officer. He's the only one who's not only brave enough but he's the only one who's really _allowed _to tell me I'm wrong. McCoy does it, but not like Spock can." He put one arm around Pike's shoulders as the man doubled over with a coughing fit that sounded like he was trying to cough up everything in his body.

"Kirk...if anybody has questions, just tell them it was my idea."

"What, sir?"

"Making you acting captain."

"But, Captain, Spock and I made that decision together."

"But I gave Spock the first opening as acting captain, which gave _him _the right to step down in the face of a better leader." Pike wiped his mouth with his sleeve, studying the blood on the cuff with distinctly unfocused interested, "I was hoping you'd find a way to step up to the plate and take over for him. He's never _liked _that kind of attention, that kind of responsibility."

"Who does? Four hundred and eighty some odd men and women to look after, a _ship_ to keep in one piece? It's daunting for _me_, Captain, and I've dreamed about this for a long time!" James fished a handkerchief out of his pocket and gave it to Pike, knowing he was loosing his Captain. He hugged Pike, and he rarely hugged anyone, even Leiani or Amanda.

"Jim...just...take care of her for me. She's a little beat up, but she's still brand new. Treat her like a real lady."

"I will, Captain. I promise, Spock and I will keep her out of Romulan hands if it kills us both."

"Nah, don't...do that to Starfleet. You're too…valuable to loose like that." Pike sagged against him, "Jim, be a good Captain."

"I've got some big shoes to fill, but I'll sure try." He hugged the dying man close, "You can go, Captain Pike, the Enterprise is safe now. I'll make sure she gets home okay."

"Commander Kirk?" unfocused eyes flashed open.

"I'm here, sir, I've got you." He took Pike's hand, "It's safe to go now, the Enterprise will get home safely. Go on."

"Commander?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Don't bury me on Earth."

"Space, sir?"

"No." A weak shake of the head, "Wherever…wherever the Vulcan refugees make their home. Bury me there."

"Oh. Yes, sir. The colony world?"

"The colony world, wherever that may be. Lay me to rest on the Vulcan colony world, not on Earth and not in space."

"Okay." He nodded, even though Pike couldn't see it, "The colony world. Goodbye, sir."

"Goodbye, Commander. _Captain_." Pike's eyes closed, "James Kirk is a good man." He sighed and grew very still. James felt the weight settle differently and just knew. It was over. Just...over.

*End Dream Sequence*

* * *

James returned to conciousness as he hit the floor. The lounge was dark, but that didn't matter. All communicators were quiet, _that _didn't matter either. Staggering to his feet, he raced out of the lounge and through the sleeping ship to Sickbay. He must have slept through the latter half of the day without knowing it! The dream was still fresh in his memory as he sprinted into Sickbay, which was just as quiet as the rest of the ship. A light was still on in one of the side rooms, where McCoy kept his office, but he ignored that. James was on the verge of hyperventilating as he approached Captain Pike's bed.

"Jim?" McCoy stuck his head out the door of his office, "What are _you _doing down here? It's a little late for wandering, don't you think?"

"Not now, Bones." He whispered, reaching out and taking Pike's hand. He pressed two fingers to the underside of his wrist and sighed. A weak, thready pulse beat against his fingertips. McCoy ventured out of his office.

"He's been declining since this morning, I just didn't want to tell you."

"No, I know." He touched his hand briefly to Pike's throat and his lips and pulled away, reaching for the sheet, "Bones, do we have a cryo-chamber on the Enterprise?"

"I think so, but it's never been used. Why?"

"Can you…can you get it ready?"

"Jim, what's going on?" McCoy came closer as he pulled the sheet over Pike's head.

"Just do it, Bones. Mark time of death and draw up a certificate, I'll sign off on it when you're ready." He looked at his watch, "It's 23:15, Bones." James deactivated the monitors above the diagnostic bed and left, ignoring the astounded, crestfallen expression on McCoy's face.

"Jim…"

"I'm alright, Bones." He shrugged off his friend's hand, "Just...just this once, can you follow an order without questioning my sanity in the process?"

"Yeah, sure. No problem." McCoy let him go and summoned a handful of aides to get the cryo-chamber ready and prepare Captain Pike. James encountered no one on his lonely trek back to the bridge, where he dismissed the night-crew.

"Sir?"

"Just go." He was sick of people questioning the simplest orders and as soon as the last of the night-crew was out, he ordered the bridge sealed off. James stayed well away from the command chair, guessing he probably wouldn't sit there for a long time yet, paced the bridge a few times, and tried to put his thoughts and emotions in order. He was no Vulcan, and sometimes he envied Spock the ability to simply file things away as necessary. Finally, he laid down on the deck by the con and folded his hands on his chest, closing his eyes to let the hum and vibrations of the ship lull him into a semi-conscious state of meditation.

* * *

James stayed there until he was aware of the bridge doors opening. Someone had overridden the locks. But who, besides McCoy, would even bother to look for him instead of trying to reach him over the comm. first? James didn't move a muscle, twitch, or bat an eyelash as he listened to the soft, distinctly catlike footfall cross the deck from the door, which closed and sealed again on a whispered command, to just mere inches from where he lay.

"Solen? What are you doing up here?" Spock's voice was soothing and quiet. He didn't bother opening his eyes as Spock drew near and knelt on the deck beside his head.

"He's gone, Spock. I had a dream, and when I went to Sickbay, I was just in time."

"You've said goodbye?"

"He was in _pain_, Spock." James opened his eyes and looked up into the dark, glowing eyes of his Vulcan blood-brother, "Even in his coma, he was in excruciating pain. He couldn't move, he couldn't stand, walk, or speak, and so he couldn't convey his suffering."

"But you knew?"

"He told me to...he told me to take care of the Enterprise, she was still like new." James sighed, sitting up. He looked at the command chair, "He didn't want to be buried on Earth."

"Did he say where he would prefer to be laid to rest?"

"The Vulcan colony world. Wherever your people decide to settle, he wants to be laid to rest there."

"Why?" the logic of that choice obviously escaped Spock. James shook his head.

"I don't know. I didn't get a chance to ask him." James wondered vaguely what time it was and decided he really didn't care. Spock got him off the deck and they went together to the captain's quarters, where they quietly packed away all of Pike's belongings. James froze when he came across a photograph, and was still for such a long time Spock asked if something was wrong.

"Who's going to tell Madeline?" he turned, holding out the picture. Spock took the picture from him, looked at it, and understood his dilemma. If anyone should tell Madeline Pike, it was him, but he was stranded two weeks from home and he wanted to do this one in person.

"Solen?"

"I owe it to Madeline, Spock, but when I'm stranded two weeks from home, how can I do that?"

"Does it really mean that much to you?"

"Yeah." He set the picture carefully atop the items already in the case and closed the lid. It was like he was closing a chapter of his own life, but he didn't know why he felt that way. He'd only known Captain Pike for a few years, but he'd come to respect the man and look up to him. With his own parents off-world, Pike had been his mentor and father-figure. When he'd written to Leiani and David to tell them, he remembered how happy it had made them to hear the news. And serving under Pike had been…well, it had been an honor. James was only sorry his service to such a capable, honorable man had been cut so prematurely short.

* * *

**_Alright, there you have it. The death of Christopher Pike. Please spare me harsh review on this one, I had to put this one together very carefully. I spent hours crying, both while I wrote it and after. As a rule, I avoid killing off canon characters, but Pike's death just turned out to be part of the story. Don't hate me, I loved Pike in the film, he was awesome. Letting him die was very hard on me and my muses were quiet for a good week or so after I finished the chapter. _****_All _****_of my muses, which is rare enough. There were a few black armbands on sleeves upstairs. So, that's it. Now they have to get home and someone has to tell the widow. Not a fun job, and we all know Jim won't let anyone else do it. R&R, absolutely no flames._**


	9. Chapter 8: Requiem

8

After packing up the quarters, they carried the cases to a storage chamber, sealed the chamber against entry, and changed the entry codes themselves so no one would disturb them. Then James did the hardest thing of all and personally sealed the captain's quarters, changing the codes there as well. As he walked away from the now-sealed quarters, he looked at Spock, who said nothing but understood perfectly.

"I will not stay in those quarters, I will not _sit _in that command chair until Captain Pike has been properly laid to rest on the colony world."

"You'll be official captain before then."

"I don't care, Spock. I owe it to him, to respect what used to be his. The quarters, the chair, as much as I want them I don't want them at all because I didn't want to take them over from him like this." James had never wanted to take over command of a starship because its former captain had died. That seemed like a sad way to come into something so monumental. And since he'd known Pike on a personal level, taking over the Enterprise hurt even more. There were three hours left until Alpha Shift, Spock convinced him to get some sleep. The hard part would come with the start of his shift on the bridge. As much as he worried about the nightmares returning, James was impressed when he slept a full three hours without waking until Spock roused him. He took a shower, changed into a clean uniform, and headed up to the bridge. Now for the hard part. He stepped onto the bridge, and took the reports from the night-crew, signed off on a few necessary things, and waited for the bridge-crew to arrive. They arrived alone and in pairs.

"No one sit down." he said, remaining standing a few feet from the command chair, "Mr. Chekov, inter-ship communications, please."

"Y-yes, sir." He wasn't the only one puzzled. James hadn't been unusually harsh with any of them, he hadn't raised his voice, but it was a strange thing to say. Once communications were up, he had Chekov order everyone to the mess hall immediately, both shifts. It was the only place on the ship big enough to hold every one, and he only wanted to make this announcement once. He knew McCoy would have sworn his aides to absolute secrecy, it was Captain's discretion if anyone blabbed. After the announcement had been made, he left the bridge without a word. Spock followed right on his heel, James didn't miss how he ignored Lieutenant Uhura's not-so-subtle questions. _He _knew, alright, but damn if he'd say anything.

* * *

When he arrived in the mess hall, it was absolutely packed and people were still coming in. A few quick-thinking members of the crew had the bright idea of pushing the tables out of the middle of the room and stacking them along the walls. Chairs and benches were stacked up as well, leaving an open space for standing. People gathered in clusters and talked in quiet tones, all of them with the same questions. What was going on? Did _anyone _know why the acting captain and called them all together like this? Was something wrong? Had orders come from Starfleet Command? Moving through the murmuring knots, James made his way to the far side of the room, where one table remained untouched.

Somehow, four hundred and eighty people had to fit, and those who couldn't would have to find another way to listen in. He could see techs setting up vid-screens. Once the doors closed and didn't open again, he climbed up onto the table and waited. The chatter didn't die down. James sighed and folded his hands behind his back.

"I'd like to make this as brief as possible, and I'm only going to say this once. If I might have _every_one's attention, you can all go back to your duties that much sooner." That did the trick, every head in the room turned and it grew very quiet. He took a deep breath and didn't look at any one person in particular, or really anything at all.

"I know you're all wondering why I summoned four hundred and eighty people together so early in the morning. I have news that I will only share this once." He bowed his head and exhaled slowly, choosing his words carefully, "Starfleet has lost one of its finest officers, and this ship has lost her Captain. At precisely 23:15 last night, while most of us were sound asleep or hard at our work, Captain Christopher Pike passed away without ever regaining consciousness." A stunned silence met this announcement, followed by whispers, but he continued, "Some of you may think that to die in one's sleep is a gentle way to go, but remember why Captain Pike was unconscious in the first place, how he looked when he came back to us. He was not comfortable when he died, so his death was truly a mercy.

"Captain Pike was truly one of a kind, I've never met another man like him. Even my own father couldn't compare to him, and they were friends for many years, in fact up to the time of Captain Pike's death did that friendship endure. Someday I will have to inform my father of his friend's death, and I do not look favorably upon that necessary duty.

"He was a man of character, of reason, and outstanding logic. As a child raised among those of a race who cherish logic above all else, I can say with confidence that he was truly one of a kind. In his death, _I _have lost not only my superior officer and captain, I have lost the man who convinced me to give Starfleet a fighting chance when I had no outward interest, a mentor, teacher, and father-figure while my own father was occupied on Vulcan as the Federation Ambassador to that extinct world and it's endangered people. His was a home I could go to on the rare chances I got away from the Academy, he was a willing ear, a sympathetic voice. He…believed in me when no one else did." James faltered, remembering most clearly one such time, "When I told him I would find a way to beat the unbeatable _Kobayashi Maru_, which I did, he didn't tell me I was crazy for trying a third time when most people hardly went back for a second shot at the program, he told me to go right ahead and if I could find a way, then cheers. I did find a way, much to shock of several people in this room, including two of the men standing behind me." He felt rather than saw McCoy and Spock exchange a look, "When I told Captain Pike, he just laughed. He didn't ask how I'd done it, he didn't care, he just laughed because I'd done the impossible. He promised when I came aboard this ship that the minute we got home, we'd celebrate properly. It looks like I'll be doing that celebrating alone. With the passing of Captain Pike, all responsibilities as Captain have passed to me and my first responsibilities are to his family and to Starfleet Command. You are dismissed to return to duty or mourn as you wish." The room slowly emptied of the crew, but James had to get out. He jumped from the table and made his way through the milling crowd. Several people touched his sleeve, his shoulder, there were several whispered condolences, many "I'm so sorry" statements. He nodded, moved on, and finally got out of the room. He heard McCoy calling his name, and suspected Spock was all that kept the doctor from following him out, demanding an answer.

_God bless you, al. _He thought privately as he made his way to Sickbay, and then into the cryo-chamber. He'd see about setting an honor-guard until they got home. By all appearances, it looked like the late captain simply _slept_. James stood over the cryo-pod, wiping away foggy condensation from the glass with the cuff of his sleeve, and finally allowed himself to grieve.

* * *

Spock managed to keep Doctor McCoy away from the Captain for two hours, an accomplishment for certain seeing as how he was inclined to use physical force if necessary to give James a few hours of peace to mourn in his own fashion. He got sick of hearing McCoy demand to see the Captain, whom Spock had located down in Sickbay fifteen minutes earlier, and simply reached out, caught the overtly concerned doctor just so, and let him go down gently. The complaining ceased instantly and he sighed. Spock had cornered McCoy in a lounge, it was easy to get him to a couch. He would no doubt have a headache later, but that was something Spock was willing to deal with. He'd get an earful for what he'd done, no doubt, but the peace was well worth the effort. Sneaking out of the lounge, he made his way down to Sickbay in search of James. He found the Captain in the cryo-chamber, but not how he'd thought he would find him.

James was not well known for showing his emotions like some Humans, Spock preferred to take credit for that part of his friend's psyche, but every now and then that shield slipped or just shattered. At the moment, considering how he found James, it looked like a shatter more than a slip. James was on his knees before the cryo-pod holding Captain Pike's body, the shiver proof of his grief if the soft, muffled sounds of weeping were not enough to tell Spock his blood-brother had finally allowed himself the very Human outlet of tears. He said nothing, knowing there was nothing he _could _say to James, and got quietly to his knees beside his blood-brother. Apparently the bitter cold of the cryo-chamber didn't bother James.

"Spock, he's _gone_."

"I know, but he didn't go alone. You were with him, you let him go." Spock put an arm around James's shoulders, "He trusted you, James, more than I think he trusted _me_. Your dream just as easily could have been mine last night."

"He knew he was dying, but I think he was afraid _to _die. Not that I blame him." James looked at him, "You understand, don't you?"

"Better than anyone else on this ship." He hugged James, let him know he wasn't alone in his wretched grief. They stayed another hour before James finally moved, got up, and held out one hand to him. Spock smiled, and followed James out of Sickbay. They did not see Doctor McCoy anywhere, and Spock wondered if the nosy doctor had staggered to his quarters after waking up. James got ahead of him, and he searched for McCoy on a computer. Yes, he'd gone to his quarters and was resting. Good. Catching up with James, he followed him to the Bridge, not missing how the Captain stayed away from the chair that was rightfully his. James wouldn't sit there until they'd laid Pike to rest, his way of honoring the dead.

* * *

Two weeks later, the _Enterprise _limped home and when the first shuttle arrived planet-side, James Kirk and Spock were at the controls. They were met by the Starfleet Council, all of whom wore black bands on their sleeves. He had reported to Admiral Barrett a few days before they got home, to tell him of events and ask the man to refrain from sending anyone out to the Pike house in Riverside, Iowa. He owed it to Madeline Pike to tell her in person, though he suspected she might already know. Madeline always seemed to know things before people could tell her.

They laid the cryo-pod on a litter once the shuttle had landed and carried it off the shuttle. Doctor McCoy, Mr. Scott, and his bridge lieutenants helped them carry it. For some reason, James had a dizzying sense of déjà vu. He looked over at Spock as they came down the ramp of the shuttle, and felt a deep sadness. The one other time he'd done this, he'd been carrying Spock's litter off a Klingon bird of prey after escaping a dying planet. An entirely different death, a whole different lifetime. When they reached the bottom, he looked at Admiral Barnett.

"Now do you believe me?"

"I'm sorry I ever _doubted _you, Kirk." Barnett was stunned. He had refused to go over visual contact, preferring strict audio transmission when he broke the news to Barnett, and as a result Barnett had been disinclined to believe him when he explained why Barnett wasn't speaking to Captain Pike or the First Officer. As acting captain, it was his duty to inform Starfleet Command, and that's what he was doing. But the Council had been too well aware of his post going onto the Enterprise, and Barrett had sincerely doubted he'd made it all the way from an ensign in Medical to the ship's acting captain with a responsibility for the ship and all four hundred and eighty men and women who made up the full crew-compliment. He still wore the gold tunic, to prove Barnett and the rest of the Council wrong in their beliefs that he was trying to be a smartass.

Those days, unfortunately, were far behind him and getting farther every time he did something in capacity as acting captain. Those days had effectively ended when he'd made the free-fall jump that ended up with him saving most of the Vulcan High Command and his own parents after he fell from the _Narada_'s drill. When his adopted home-world and several billion of his people had perished in a needless, vengence-driven genocide that had nearly been repeated here on Earth not that long ago.

* * *

Once they had handed Captain Pike over to the medical team, James asked permission to go home to Riverside, there was one more thing he had to do. Madeline Pike was still uninformed, by their report, but James knew better. So, he had Scotty beam him from San Francisco to Riverside. Once home, he found a leather jacket and the keys to his old red 2003 Ford Mustang. As he opened the garage, the door from the house opened. James wasn't surprised he'd been followed, especially by Spock, but he was a little surprised to see Spock out of uniform. He leaned against the car, studying his brother.

"Are you absolutely certain you can do this alone?" Spock came down and joined him at the car, "I would gladly go with you, if you wished it."

"No, Spock. I should do this alone." James sighed, "Besides, I get the feeling she already knows."

"Why do you say that?"

"They had that kind of relationship." James looked at Spock, suddenly struck by how _sad _he was. Spock so rarely showed emotion even around him that it took him completely by surprise. James frowned, "Spock, do you _want _to come with me?"

"No." Spock shook his head, "I will stay here and wait for you."

"I shouldn't be more than a couple hours." He got into the car and backed out of the garage. James kept the radio off so he could think, and let his mind wander freely as he drove out to the Pike place a little closer to town.


	10. Chapter 9: Last Wishes

9

Madeline Pike heard the crunch of gravel under tires on the driveway, heard the engine of the old car die as the key was taken out of the ignition, the door open and close again, and counted the footsteps from the driveway to the front door. She felt so sorry for Jim Kirk, that this awful responsibility lay on his shoulders, but Madeline knew he wouldn't have let anyone else bring the devastating news to her. As his hesitant footsteps mounted the stairs and crossed the porch, Madeline got up from the couch and went to the front door. She opened it to him and knew he had only stopped at home long enough to get a coat and find his keys, he was still in uniform. She had already shed her tears for Christopher, but the utter despair and deep human sadness in the eyes of the young Starfleet Captain brought a new sting to her eyes. Madeline did the only maternal thing she could think of and hugged Jim.

Raised in the traditions of a world and a people not his own but closer than any biological bond could ever make them as a family, Jim had always been good at internalizing his more impulsive emotions. When Madeline embraced him, she gave him permission to let go of that hard-won control that was almost second nature to him after so many years of practical, useful training. And he did let go, so Madeline held him as she might have a young child, as she would soon hold her own unborn child. She knew in her heart that the tears Jim Kirk shed were not only for her late brother, but for all of the Vulcans who had been unable to escape the destruction of the home-world.

Born Human, raised Vulcan, Jim was truly one of a kind. He spoke six languages including English, some said he spoke Vulcan more fluently than he spoke his mother-tongue, and was incredibly intelligent, but he also had a long brash streak that tended to get him into trouble. But he also had what it took to be a leader of men, to earn the respect and trust of the men and women for whom he was responsible as their Captain. He didn't have Christopher's stern, imposing demeanor, the one that earned him the undying respect and loyalty of the people he was responsible for, but Jim didn't _need _those things to be good at what he did. Jim had the ability to think quickly on his feet, react in a situation demanding instant decision-making, and ten years of Vulcan upbringing to get him through the hardest experiences.

Several minutes later, she was busy in the kitchen while Jim dozed on the couch. She knew he had come out to take care of her, and somewhere along the way their places had been switched, but she didn't mind. Sometimes the strong needed a place to let their guard down, and Madeline was glad Jim felt safe enough in her home to let his guard down like that.

* * *

True to his word, Jim only stayed a few hours with Madeline Pike before taking his leave and driving home. He asked her what _she _wanted done with the body, explaining her husband's dying wish as conveyed to him in a dream. He knew she wouldn't think him crazy, so he told her everything precluding her husband's quiet death.

"His last request was to be buried on the Vulcan colony world, but I'll bow to your preferences as the widow." He wanted to remain loyal to his deceased Captain, but if Madeline wanted something else done, he'd let her make the choice.

"I know where I'd like to see my husband laid to rest, Jim." Madeline smiled at him, her affect sad, "Ask Ambassador Sarek if his people would erect a memorial stone to my husband. I would see him laid to rest honorably in Arlington." It was fitting, he thought, for Pike to be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, where heroes of centuries gone were laid in honor. He would speak to Sarek soon and see about putting something up to memorialize Christopher Pike per the late Captain's own dying wish. After settling on arrangements to have Captain Pike buried in Arlington, Jim went home. He didn't pull into the garage right away, cutting the engine just outside. As he sat there, the front door opened and Spock stepped out. Jim sighed, folding his hands over the top of the steering wheel and resting his chin there. Spock locked the house, pocketed the key, and got into the passenger's seat.

"What did she say?" he asked as they got on the road.

"She wants to bury him in Arlington. I understand why, but that's not what _he _wanted. Do I respect my Captain's dying wish, or the wishes of his living widow?"

"She does not understand the importance of his interment on the colony world."

"I don't think she does. I don't know how to tell her Pike died for our people." Jim looked out at the road and saw a familiar turn-off ahead. Bizarre inspiration hit and at the dirt road, he turned, drove through the crooked gates, and stopped twenty feet from the edge of the cliff. He killed the engine and got out, walking to the edge.

"What are you doing?" Spock came out, "Where are we?"

"This is the old Waterside Quarry. It hasn't been used since I was probably twelve years old. The older kids would come out here and having drinking parties and bonfires. The cops made a fortune off of busting late-nighters." Jim chuckled, "I didn't come out here all that often."

"What draws you?"

"Memory." He kicked a stone off the cliff and watched it fall, "Down there somewhere is the wreckage of my step-father's old Porche. He just about killed me when he found out what I'd done to it, but it was never something I regretted."

"Destruction of private property is vandalism. Why weren't you sorry?"

"Because it brought me to Leiani, and later to _you_." He dropped to a crouch in the dust, "I couldn't believe my good fortune when the courts named Leiani my sole legal guardian. I'd known her for years by then, she was my friend."

"She saved your life."

"Yeah, she did." Jim sighed, "My life completely turned around. The night I met Pike, I went into that bar with no idea what I was doing there."

"Maybe you did know, you just weren't aware of it at the time." Spock crouched beside him, "It brought you this far, didn't it?"

"Spock, _that _was three years ago!" He drew in the dirt, "Three years ago, I called Vulcan and told your parents I was enlisting in Starfleet. Your father was so _proud _of me!"

"You _are _his Human son, Jim. What did you expect?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Jim looked up at the sky, "Now look at us, Spock, look where we are. What we're doing."

"Impressive, entirely unexpected, and nothing I would do different and certainly nothing I regret." Spock got up, dusted off his jeans, which Jim now realized were _his _jeans, and held out one hand. They ended up sitting on the hood of the Mustang for an hour, just enjoying the quiet of the abandoned quarry and the company of each other. As it grew dark, Jim started the car and drove towards town.

"Where are we going now?"

"Lew's Bar, an old hangout of mine. It's where I met Pike." He wondered if Lew would remember him after three years and a handful of months. Well, there was one way to find out. As they parked, he didn't miss the noise, the music, the laughter streaming from the bar. As he got out of the Mustang and waited for Spock, a cluster of red-uniformed twenty-one and twenty-two year-olds passed them.

"Well, _that _much hasn't changed." He shoved his hands into his pockets after he locked the car, "This is a popular hangout for Cadets and civilian recruits."

"I can tell." Spock viewed the scene with his characteristic detachment. Jim unzipped his jacket as they entered the noisy bar. It was humming with voices, laughter, music. For some reason, he felt angry. Well, more sad than angry. A Starfleet officer had died and these people were _celebrating_? Ugh. Jim looked around and couldn't see a single solitary soul above the age of twenty-four. Shaking his head, he picked his way to the bar. It felt so different to be here as an officer, not as a civilian or a Cadet. He sat down at an empty stool and reached for the drink-menu.

"I know you don't drink, but do you want anything?" he looked at Spock, "If nothing else, we can drink to Captain Pike."

"Gladly." Spock just nodded. It was obvious the noise bothered him. It bothered Jim, too, quite frankly. Lew was busy cleaning glasses and taking orders, he didn't even see them sitting there. Jim reached out as the bartender passed them by for the third time and caught his sleeve.

"Hey, Lew!" he called above the music. The bartender turned, caught sight of him, and his jaw dropped open.

"Jim _Kirk_! God bless us all! What are _you _doing in here? You haven't been here in…what, three years?"

"Yeah, just about."

"Not since you walked out of here with Captain Pike." Lew picked up two glasses and set them on the bar, "So, what can I get you boys?"

"Uh, two Saurian Ales."

"Sure, no problem." Lew grinned, "Never thought I'd live to see the day you came walking back in here, Jim. What are you doing in town?"

"Taking care of business before I head back to San Francisco for graduation."

"A year ahead of time? What happened?"

"A lot of stuff happened. You guys didn't hear about it?" Jim wasn't too surprised word of the Nero incident hadn't gotten this far yet. Lew shook his head as he set their orders on the bar.

"Sure we did!" a boisterous voice from his left got Jim's attention, "Seven Starfleet vessels launched from Earth to Vulcan on a mercy mission and got themselves blown to bits by the Romulans! Vulcan went next, I hear."

"Huh?" Lew was baffled, "Vulcan's gone?"

"Man-made singularity consumed it from the planetary core." Jim took a sip of his ale, trying to drown the bitter taste left by memories.

"How the hell did they do that?"

"Red matter, nasty stuff." The cocky Cadet snickered, "Blew himself up later. Bastard."

"I'm sorry, were you _there_, Cadet?"

"Nope, but I heard about it."

"From whom? Half the Senior Cadet class _died _at Vulcan. Those who survived served with me on the Enterprise." Jim turned to face the younger man, his junior only by two years. Had he been that way once?

"Who are you?"

"Jim Kirk, currently the Enterprise's acting captain in the absence of Christopher Pike. I was there, on Vulcan, I _watched _the planet destroy itself thanks to Nero and his bastards. I also had the pleasure of blowing him straight to Kingdom Come and back."

"We _both _did." Spock corrected bitterly. Jim shrugged.

"What's your name?"

"Gordy Cheston."

"Second-year?"

"Yep."

"Thought so." Jim twisted his glass, took a gulp, and looked at Cheston, "Word to the wise, kid."

"Yeah?"

"Don't get smart with your superiors. Learn a little respect." Finishing his drink, he left a tip under the glass, got up, and turned away, "Good night, Lew."

"Night, Jim." Lew waved as they left.

"You walked away from that?" Spock whispered as they reached the car.

"Half the fights I got into I didn't start." He rubbed the back of his neck, "God, if I was ever like Cheston, I have a _lot _of apologizing to do. He's only two years younger and I can't stand him!"

"Experience has a way of maturing a man. You learned that the hard way, Solen." Spock got into the Mustang. Starting the engine, he left Lew's Bar and headed south for the Shipyards. When he could see the cranes and pylons, he pulled off the road.

"I heard rumor they were building a new ship down here." He looked out the windshield, "There she is, Spock."

"She's nearly finished."

"Looks good, don't she?" He got out and sat on the hood, "That's the Enterprise-A. I'll give her a year and a half before they set her loose." They watched the Enterprise-A for an hour before going home. Jim realized that, in a single afternoon, he had relived half of his lifetime. First the quarry, then Lew's Bar, and now the Shipyards. He slept well that night, kept warm by Spock sleeping behind him.

* * *

Three days later, Jim found himself standing before a memorial headstone in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. with Spock, Uhura, Bones, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov, and Madeline Pike. He and Spock had gone back and spoken to Madeline again the morning after his first visit, explained to her the importance of Captain Pike being laid to rest on the Vulcan colony world, and she had consented to the original plan. A memorial headstone had been placed in Arlington to honor Pike's service to the Federation, to Starfleet, and his ultimate sacrifice. After a benediction had been given by a priest, Madeline and the others left the memorial one by one.

"The needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one or the few. Christopher Pike was an honorable, good man. May he rest in peace." Jim turned from the memorial stone, leaving the cemetery with Spock. They picked up a shuttle to San Francisco, the trip home was quiet and solemn.

* * *

A month after Captain Pike's memorial service in D.C., the Enterprise set out again with a new captain. They had been asked by Starfleet Command to transport a number of Vulcans to Zeta Tarandi, and also carried the body of Captain Pike for interment on the colony world in accordance with his last wishes as passed along to the new captain.


	11. Chapter 11: What Was Lost Has Been Found

10

When they reached Zeta Tarandi at last, James Kirk and the bridge-crew of the Enterprise carried Captain Pike's body off the shuttle as they had on Earth, this time without the pod. As they set foot on Zeta Tarandi, James took note of the Vulcan Council gathered nearby to welcome them to the colony world. He saw Sakar and Sarek gathered with David, Amanda, and Leiani off to one side just a little apart from the Vulcan Council. The Council knew they were coming and why. The refugees the Enterprise had carried from Earth had been transported off the ship as soon as they had arrived, giving James and Spock time to finish up shipboard before transporting the former Captain's body to the surface by shuttle. A cluster of white-clad acolytes stood nearby with the surviving priests and priestesses of Mount Seleya, and it was to them that James and his command crew surrendered their former Captain. Final burial arrangements would be made and at sunset, they would give Captain Pike a formal Vulcan burial such as they could afford him.

He gave his crew the freedom to stay on Zeta Tarandi or return to the Enterprise as they wished. All of them except Bones returned to the ship. The Vulcan Council dispatched Bones to the makeshift medical centers to do what he could for the sick and wounded, and James knew his friend was eager to do some good, save a few lives, and pass on some wisdom as well as gain some. Once everyone else had gone their own ways, James and Spock were left with their families. Words were unnecessary, for what could they say that would have any meaning? After a while, James went off on his own to find a resource that would give him a full listing of the casualties. Six billion people had called Vulcan home, of that number ten thousand survived. The sheer number of deaths was staggering and taking a PADD containing all of the names of the deceased, James left the village in search of a quiet place where he could mourn in peace. There was one name in particular he was interested in. Entering the data, he waited. It came back as he had thought it would. T'Pring, Spock's promised, had not survived. Then, in his reading, he came across another name he had never expected to see on a list of deceased.

**T'Paria, daughter of Xonn and Seleia: Deceased. Survived by parents and siblings Mirea, Solek, and T'Anir. **

James looked up, stunned. T'Paria had been one of his best friends besides Spock! Was she really _dead_? No, that couldn't be right! Panic seized hold and he forgot how to breathe. Staggering a few paces, James fell to his knees. T'Paria's name echoed across the landscape as it echoed in his mind, crossing the bond he had with Spock, and he succumbed. It didn't take long for someone to discover him there and revive him.

* * *

Spock was reading when he suddenly heard James Kirk's voice. It took him a minute to realize it was an echo, not an actual summons. He listened more carefully and realized what had happened to his brother as he heard a single name over and over before everything was silenced. Getting to his feet, Spock left the house and started to run, ignoring the queries of his parents, of James's parents, of Sakar. He followed James's trail with great ease and found his brother lying on the ground beneath a tree, clearly unconscious but otherwise unhurt. By his hand lay a PADD, the screen glowing. Spock approached cautiously and scooped up the PADD, looking around for any signs of an attack. Nothing. Kneeling beside James, he touched the side of his brother's face. He was unhurt, just overwhelmed. Instead of risking a mind-meld against James's wishes, Spock looked at the PADD and saw the information displayed on the glowing screen. It was a list of the deceased Vulcans, and a single name had been isolated. T'Paria, daughter of Xonn and Seleia, was among those who had perished. Hers had been a more recent death, it seemed, for she was survived by her parents and three siblings. Spock cleared the screen and reached over, rousing James with a touch.

"Solen?"

"She's dead, Spock." James rolled onto his back and looked at Spock with hollow eyes, "I didn't even think about her until I started reading that list." Spock took his brother's hand and leaned down until their forehead's touched, wishing he could take away this pain.

"Come, Solen. We will visit her family and give our condolences. They would want to see you." He coaxed his brother to his feet and led the way back to the village. Finding Xonn and Seleia was easy enough, and they were most welcoming towards James. They gave him several articles belonging to T'Paria so that he would remember her, and promised to come to the interment service later that day.

"Thank you, Xonn." James said faintly, "I would like that." Spock knew it would mean a great deal if they came to Captain Pike's burial. After leaving the house, James said very little, though he accepted the physical contact Spock offered him by taking his hand, which was a good sign. He wouldn't force James to talk about the recent deaths, it wasn't his way. It wasn't _their _way.

_I'm here, brother. _He thought to himself, _If you need me, I'm here for you. _

* * *

After seeing the refugees settled on Zeta Tarandi and laying Captain Pike to rest, James took the Enterprise on a brief mission to do scientific research on a nearby system. After a month in the Zemandi system, they were recalled home. As they departed the system, sensors detected another ship just emerging from warp. James ordered evasive maneuvers, the ship was coming out right in front of the Enterprise and a collision was a sure outcome if one of them didn't move. They narrowly avoided colliding with the vessel, and as they cleared the safety zone, he ordered Uhura to hail the ship on all frequencies. He had Sulu bring them about to get another look at the vessel and as they made a pass, he was glad to be sitting down.

"Oh my god!" he looked over his shoulder at Spock, "It's a Vulcan ship!"

"Survivors, perhaps?"

"I have no idea! Uhura, anything?"

"No, sir, I'm getting no response from the Vulcan ship."

"Damn. Open that channel."

"Yes, sir." She signaled to him when the channel was open. He turned to face the screen, the drifting Vulcan ship.

"Sulu, get that ship in a tractor-beam, keep them from drifting."

"Aye, sir."

"Vulcan vessel, this is James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. Our sensors indicate that you have taken severe damage. Respond please." He waited, but got nothing and tried again, "Vulcan vessel, this is Enterprise. We have you in a tractor beam. If you are able, respond please."

"Orders, sir?"

"Assemble an Away Team and prepare to beam onto that ship. Something's not right." He linked his hands behind his back, "Vulcan vessel, respond please." Suddenly, there was a crackle of static on the audio-feed and on the screen and he hiccupped.

"Enterprise, Enterprise, this isShaini Laihain. We read you."

"The Shaini Laihain was one of our science ships." Spock came down from his station and stood beside James.

"Uhura, can you do something about the screen static?"

"I can try, sir." Uhura turned to her controls.

"Shaini Laihain, what is the status of your crew compliment?"

"One hundred crew and two hundred passengers, but we took severe damage escaping the singularity."

"Survivors." He exhaled slowly, "This is James Kirk, to whom am I speaking?" Suddenly, the static on the screen cleared and he looked into the damaged bridge of the Shaini Laihain. The crew-member who had returned their hail was visible on the screen. James felt a shock run straight through him, grounding him to the deck.

"Solen? Spock?" the officer didn't look at all sure of herself, and James swallowed on a dry throat.

"T'Paria!" he gasped, "You're alive! What is the situation on your ship? How much air-time do you have left?"

"Ten minutes, maybe fifteen."

"Not enough, not good enough." He turned aside, "I want Sickbay notified and I want Cargo Bay 2 emptied. And someone inform Mr. Scott that I need Transporters on standby. Call off the Away Team."

"Aye, Captain." There was a scramble as his orders were carried out, and he waited until Bones and Scotty checked in that they were ready. He nodded and turned to the screen.

"Captain T'Paria, we are fully prepared to beam you and everyone on the Shaini Laihain onto the Enterprise."

"Do you have enough room for all of us?"

"We'll make room. Prepare for transport on my word, Captain."

"Thank you." T'Paria dipped her head and the screen blanked.

"Scotty, work your magic." He took his seat in the command chair.

"Aye, Captain!" He heard Scotty's affirmative from Engineering.

"Let me know when they're aboard."

"Aye, sir." There was a brief pause and when Scotty came back, he had the word.

"I'm on my way. Commander, you're with me. Mr. Sulu, you have the Bridge, sir." He shoved out of the command chair and headed for the turbo-lift with Spock at his side. Nothing was said as they went down. As soon as the doors opened, he started to run. When they arrived in Cargo Bay 2, Bones was already weeding out the sick and wounded and ushering them off to Sickbay with help from a team of assistants. James searched for T'Paria among the hundreds of faces, stretching on tiptoe to look past the taller Vulcans for a glimpse. Why did they all look so much alike?! He was about to give up when he caught a glimpse of blonde in the mass of refugees. James turned towards the flash of light color, and held his breath. Two refugees passed him and opened up a direct line to T'Paria. He heard a soft cough behind him and looked over his shoulder. Spock stood a short distance away in his usual stance, hands clasped behind his back, the briefest of true smiles on his face. His First nodded, all the permission James needed. Spock would understand, better than anyone. Tugging on the hem of his tunic, he slipped between another cluster of Vulcans and made his way to T'Paria, who stood alone in the moving mass of people.

"T'Paria?" He called softly, getting her to turn and acknowledge him. T'Paria raised her left hand. James stopped before her and lifted his right hand, touching his fingertips to hers, feeling the same familiar jolt. In a moment, they were palm-to-palm and he bowed to rest his forehead against hers.

"Where is Spock?" T'Paria whispered, her eyes closed as she finally let herself relax. James smiled and lifted his head a fraction, pressing his lips to her temple.

"He's here, T'Paria." He reassured her, "He's here. Come on." He stepped back, urging her to follow him. When they reached Spock, they exchanged an identical greeting and he led them out of the cargo area. As they made their way through the Enterprise, he felt T'Paria slip her hand into his. He smiled.

"They put me on the list of dead, didn't they?"

"Yes. Presumed Dead, they told us." He remembered that list too well, too clearly, "I have a few of your things your parents gave me, if you would like them back?"

"I'm sorry, Solen." T'Paria murmured. James put his arm around her briefly, letting her know it was going to be alright.

* * *

"Captain's Log, Stardate 2258.70. We have completed our mission to the Zemandi System for research purposes and are bound for Earth unless our orders change, as I am fully certain they will. In the meanwhile, we have stumbled across a crippled Vulcan science ship carrying three hundred crew and passengers. With little room on the Enterprise, I am housing them in Cargo Bay 2 until we can return to Zeta Tarandi in the Vulcan System and settle these new refugees with the Vulcans already making their homes on the colony world. I suspect we may be picking up such vessels as the Shaini Laihain for a few months, I can hope. Among those who escaped aboard the Shaini Laihain was Captain T'Paria, whom I had fully believed to be among the deceased. I cannot think what it would mean for T'Paria to reunite with her family, who believe her among the lost. For now, we're on course for the Vulcan System to resettle the Shaini Laihain's crew and passengers on the colony world. All is, for the moment, well enough."


End file.
